Crimson Twilight
by Molly Renata
Summary: .hack/G.U. rewrite. Follows the basic story of the games with some editing. Not much else to put here...
1. Downfall

**Crimson Twilight  
**

_Author's Notes: Well, here it comes. -takes deep breath- This is something I've been plotting in my head for quite a while now, a complete rewrite of .hack//G.U. with my own personal twist on the story. Since it __**is**_ _going to follow the canon to some degree, you all should be familiar with some of the terms used; however, others might be a bit more difficult to understand. For storyline purposes, I'll be changing Data Drain to Spirit Drain on the sole basis that this is no longer a computer-based, but fully fantasy-based world. Also, I didn't watch all of .hack//Liminality, so I'm clueless as to Mai's personality. If anyone can help me out on that subject, I'll change the story to fit._

_Anyway, sorry to say, but the numerous Haseo x Endrance fans out there are going to be highly disappointed. Not only will Haseo end up with Atoli, but I'm probably going to pair off Endrance with someone else (and NOT Saku). I still haven't decided who exactly, though. Again, anyone willing to help me out will be appreciated greatly. As for other pairings? The mere mention of Mai indicates something that will happen later in the story. You probably won't be surprised once you read it, though!_

_Warnings for language, violence, suggestiveness and possible sexual content in later chapters (though I'll probably leave out the lemony parts)._

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack// or Bandai Namco. In other words, I OWN NOTHING!!! D;_

**I** **Chapter 1: Downfall ****I**

_It had been six months. Six awful, harrowing months since her consciousness was sealed away in the spirit of that murderer..._

_He would never forgive anyone who killed other people for the fun of it. Never in his life..._

_Determined to obtain 'power' and 'strength', he had gone out to get revenge on those who had hurt his loved ones. Those people were no more than despicable... people who deserved to die for their transgressions, or so he thought..._

_Today, they were terrorizing a girl, one that he realized looked similar to his old friend. He turned away, snarling... even if she wasn't who he was looking for, she still didn't deserve to be hurt like that._

_Minutes later, he had arrived on the scene. His eyes immediately fell on the girl who had been terrorized... she looked almost as if she was on the verge of death._

_"Ul Repth!"_

_The girl was surprised to feel her strength returning. The eyes of the people surrounding her had turned... she took the opportunity to pick herself up and get away as quickly as possible. However, one of the pursuers noticed her and grabbed onto her roughly - a hunched-over man with tied-up green hair._

_"You're not getting away so easily, girlie!"_

_This man was the first one he targeted. He drew a large scythe with a jagged edge - one of his three weapons of choice. In one blow, he had struck the man down. Turning to their leader, he glared, still in a combat stance._

_The red-haired woman that was obviously the leader of the pack sneered. "Oh, it's you. The 'Terror of Death'... Haseo."_

_"Yeah, it's me," he stated, the sharp edge of his tone biting into her spirit. "...Hey, do you guys know anything about Tri-Edge?"_

_"Tri-Edge?" The woman laughed. "Never heard anything about him. Well, nothing more than fake rumors, anyway..."_

_"...Fake? What do you mean fake? Everything about him is real."_

_She stared back at him, drawing her blade. "Oh yeah? How could it even be possible to have your spirit sealed? Never return to the world and just be teetering on the edge of existence? Pah, I don't believe those stupid rumors. Not for one second."_

_"...Then I'm just gonna have to kill you," he growled. "And especially... after what you did to that girl."_

_The girl was sitting on the ground, watching the scene. Finally bringing up the courage to speak, she called out, "Look out, Haseo! This 'Bordeaux' person is... really strong... you don't want to face her alone!"_

_"Bordeaux... so that's your name," Haseo said. "Well, Miss Bordeaux, it looks like you're gonna have to shape up your attitude in the Soul Cycle. That is, if you ever make it that far..."_

_"Hah! You think you can challenge me?" Once again, Bordeaux charged, only to have her weapon knocked out of her hand by Haseo's scythe. She approached him, but was unable to get close to him before she felt a taloned hand close in around her neck._

_"Yeah, I can challenge you," Haseo stated. "Especially after you tried to kill that innocent girl."_

_Bordeaux struggled, but couldn't free herself. She was harshly thrown down to the ground, and felt the darkness of unconsciousness claim her seconds before she was killed by Haseo._

_"Hey, you. Are you okay?"_

_He strode on over to the girl, the sound of his armor clinking together making her slowly crawl away._

_"...Don't worry. I'm not gonna kill you. You don't deserve it."_

_She looked up at him, still frightened. "H-Haseo... you're the 'Terror of Death', right? Why... did you save me?"_

_"You're innocent," he replied, turning away. "...You were lucky to have come out of here alive. Now get away before they can attack again."_

_"Y-yes! Thank you, Haseo!" she said, nodding briefly before turning and running. "By the way, my name's Atoli! I'll try to repay the favor if I ever meet you again!"_

_He shook his head. "...Sure, fine by me... I only did what anyone else would've done... she's __**too**_ _nice..."_

The peculiar feeling enveloped his body as he returned to the city. He hated that teleportation system... it always irked him when he underwent the process. Of course, he hardly noticed this time... his mind was still alight with the memory.

_She didn't deserve it... those guys are gonna get their asses kicked if I come across them again._

**aba**

He stepped forward, looking around. "...Pointless."

Hearing a sharp _clang_, which he recognized as the sound of the teleporter, he turned around to see the girl he had saved waving back at him with a smile on her face. "Hello!"

His response was silence. She tilted her head at him confusedly, wondering why he seemed so upset.

"...I'm sorry," she said quietly. "...I'll see you later, then..."

"Hmph." Haseo turned away, simply raising a hand for his farewell. Atoli nodded, then left.

He pondered to himself, considering where he should go next. "...Tri-Edge... I get the feeling he'll be coming back soon. I guess I'll go find him..." He turned to the teleporter, grimacing. "...I'm gonna go to the Hulle Granz Cathedral. He might be there... back at the scene of the crime."

_After all... that's what Ovan told me._

He tried to ignore the sensation of teleporting again. Something else was on his mind, but even with thoughts of his old friends running through his brain, he couldn't ignore the annoying sound and feeling as he warped off.

**aba**

The pathway leading to the cathedral itself was surrounded by open space. A mystic land, linked to other places via an unknown connection... this place was where _she_ had been sealed, and where he had first seen his arch-nemesis.

"I wonder if he'll show up today..." he pondered to himself as he pushed open the surprisingly light doors of the building. He walked up to the altar in the middle of the cathedral, placing his hands on the fencing that blocked it off and staring at the three-edged red mark that had embedded itself in the altar's stone.

"...Shino..."

His mind was about to drift off before he heard the air burning. Surprised, he turned to see a sphere of blue flame drifting down. He was able to see it begin to erupt before he was knocked back, trying to keep his balance as his claws screeched against the cathedral's floor.

Looking up, he saw the doll-like figure approaching him. His thoughts turned to the day when he had marked this person as his enemy...

"...Tri-Edge, I'll get you!"

He charged, drawing two small, multi-edged swords and beginning his attack. His enemy was faster, though, blocking every strike of the dual swords and forcing Haseo back. Skidding against the ground again, Haseo attempted to pick himself up, eventually succeeding and this time drawing a much larger sword with menacing-looking blades rotating around its edge.

He clashed with his foe for a time before again being knocked back. Feeling the broadsword slip out of his hands and seeing it land mere inches from his head, he once again tried to pick himself up, but was unable. Looking up at 'Tri-Edge', Haseo pondered where he got his strength.

_This guy's strong... I can't beat him like this... damn... just like..._

'Tri-Edge' raised his arm, and a number of nearly transparent tendrils shot from around a glowing bracelet which had just now appeared. The tendrils enveloped Haseo, cutting through his armor and his skin and rendering him helpless. He felt his spirit slowly draining away, wondering silently if this was the end...

His power was gone. He'd been defeated... would he suffer the same fate as Shino...?

**aba**

He opened his eyes, his vision blurred. He was in pain, and bleeding from multiple wounds covering his entire body. He couldn't move, he realized... and his strength had been completely drained, his form changed by the backlash of his loss.

"Haseo!"

The voice stung his ears. He looked up, seeing the faint outline of a girl standing over him. He felt pressure against his abdomen, and slowly the pain began to disappear. Still laying in a pool of his own blood, he made an effort to sit up. He noticed that with the pain, the wounds had also disappeared.

"Are... are you okay, Haseo?" she inquired. "Are you in pain still?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm fine. Got beaten up by... Tri-Edge."

"You met Tri-Edge?" She seemed surprised, but nodded. "...Oh... well, I know that you've been looking for Tri-Edge so you could defeat him... I'm sorry you couldn't..."

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault," he said. "...I've lost all my power, though. I can't do a damn thing in the state I am now..."

She tilted her head. "Do you mind... if I help you regain your strength? I wanted to pay you back... for helping me..."

"No objection," he replied, sounding as if he minded the idea but didn't really care at the moment. "...thanks, Atoli."

"You remembered my name?" She seemed surprised by this fact. "...Um, you're welcome... I... I'll be waiting in Mac Anu, so... I'll take you to a place where you can get stronger if you want."

He nodded, this time more appreciative. "...Yeah." Standing up, he walked off, glancing back at her only once.

She hung her head, wondering if he'd really meant it when he thanked her. She stood, following him and leaving the cathedral.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yeah, it's a really short first chapter, maybe I should call it a "prologue" instead of a chapter XD Anyway, yeah, some of these things are probably going to confuse you, so I'll do a brief explanation._

_-Player Killers are now dubbed simply 'murderers', 'criminals' or something related to that subject. Since again, this is a fantasy world, there IS no game. It's a completely separate world (albeit with numerous similarities to the game itself). PKKs are given similar titles so as to fit with the theme, and so on and so forth._

_-The 'Soul Cycle' which is alluded to, is basically what happens when someone is killed or dies naturally. Their spirit is sent to a parallel world where they're allowed to recuperate before they return to the 'real' world in a physical form (which also allows them to change their physical form as they please). People who die naturally (old age, disease, etc.) will be unlikely to return to the 'real' world and are instead sent to 'heaven' or 'hell' depending on their actions as a person while they were alive. They have a chance of returning, however, if their spirit was sent to the parallel world while they were still young. Also, spirits that are 'sealed' are locked inside the parallel world, unable to move freely between the two worlds as they normally would if they were killed. Spirit Drain can seal a person if too much of their spiritual energy is removed._

_Also, by the way, there will be a lot of story-altering. The hope is that the readers don't mind, but if you do, simply voice your complaints. I'll listen to constructive criticism, but please no flaming or bashing, ok?_


	2. Shadows

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Well, this chapter is going to show a little bit of action. It's also going to introduce a few more characters (with which you should all be familiar), the two Canard members as well as the Epitaph Users. I'm planning on doing this part a bit differently from the story, too, so keep your eyes peeled. Not much else to say about the chapter, but hope you guys have fun._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. Absolutely nothing. (Although, I wish I owned Haseo... -cough- I didn't say anything!)_

**II** **Chapter 2: Shadows** **II**

The second he'd made it back to town, two people came rushing up to him. The older of the two was a young man with long brown hair tied back in a long ponytail, which curled at the end; he was dressed in green clothing, and it was obvious to Haseo that he was a Blade wielder. Standing next to him was a pudgy, dog-like boy; his body was perfectly round, his legs were stubby and his hands were abnormally large, indicating the choice of creature that this soul had inhabited. He was colored a light pink color and his hair was a slightly darker color, spikes brushed back between two floppy canine ears. His tail was wagging slightly as he hugged the older boy in front of him.

"H-hey! What's up with you!?" Haseo complained loudly, shoving the overweight dog-person off of himself. The boy tilted his head, mouthing an apology.

"You look like you just finished Cycling," the green-clad young man commented. "You're not very strong, that's for sure. Would you like a little help?"

Haseo shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine. I'm scheduled to meet up with... a friend... somewhere. Let's just say that I've... come back recently. I lost all my power..."

"Well, that's okay," was the response from the young man. "By the way, um... my name's Silabus, and this here is my friend Gaspard. If you want, we'll come with you to the place you're going to with your friend."

"...Fine," Haseo muttered, turning away. "Let's go, then."

"...I'm sorry," Silabus said. "Did I... bother you?"

Haseo grimaced. "No, you didn't bother me..."

"He's wearing black and red," Gaspard pointed out. "And his hair's all silver and his eyes are all red. Do you think he might be the 'Terror of Death' everyone's been talking about?"

"I doubt it," Silabus said. "The 'Terror of Death' was a lot stronger. Well, anyway... I guess we should follow him. Um... what's your name, sir?"

"...Haseo."

"I knew it!" Gaspard exclaimed triumphantly. "He _is_ the 'Terror of Death'!" His expression suddenly turned to a much more frightened one. "B-but... if he's the 'Terror of Death', does that mean he's gonna... kill us?"

"No way in hell," Haseo snapped back. "You two didn't do anything to deserve getting killed. Now let's go before Atoli decides to chew me out for being late!"

Silabus flinched at Haseo's tone. "Y-yeah... let's go, Gaspard."

"Okay! As long as he doesn't want to kill me," the dog-person muttered, hanging his head.

**aba**

Haseo looked around the field as soon as he entered. The sky was clear, and the sun was setting in the distance... indicative that they couldn't have gone far from Mac Anu. There was a considerable amount of open space surrounding them.

"Hello, Haseo!" A familiar blonde-haired girl ran up to the three, smiling. "I see you brought some friends with you!"

Haseo shook his head. "They're not my 'friends', Atoli."

"Well, I guess you just met them," Atoli suggested. "...I think I've seen those two before."

"You know them?" Haseo inquired.

Atoli nodded. "Yes. Lord Zelkova introduced me to the guild 'Canard' a while back, and those two were there along with a nice young man named Kuhn."

"Erm... well, about that..." Silabus scratched the back of his neck. "...Kuhn left. He had some responsibilities to take care of, and entrusted Canard to me... I'm the guildmaster now."

"Oh, that's too bad," Atoli said. "Do you have any idea where he went?"

"...Actually, I don't," Silabus said, hanging his head. "He said... that the guild he was moving to was called 'Raven', but he didn't indicate any other reason why he was leaving..."

"I'm sure he has his own things to take care of," Haseo said. "C'mon, guys."

Atoli giggled. "You're so impatient, Haseo. I bet that you're really around my age!"

"The hell do those two things have to do with each other?" Haseo grumbled, walking off. "If we don't get moving soon, I'm going on my own! Get a move on!"

Silabus laughed. "Well, you definitely are right, Atoli. He's impatient and stubborn to boot. Then again... he is the 'Terror of Death'... or so he says."

"Yes, he is," Atoli said. "I recognized him the second I laid eyes on him. He saved me before... I'm indebted to him for that."

"So you two know each other from before," Silabus said. "That's really neat. He saved you? You mean, from Cycling?"

Atoli nodded briefly, picking up her pace so as to catch up to the still-annoyed Haseo. "Yes. There was this really mean woman named Bordeaux, and she tried to kill me... I feel lucky to have come out alive..."

"That was really nice of him!" Gaspard commented. "I guess I have good intuition after all... hey, you two, wait up!"

"Oh, sorry, Gaspard!" Silabus said. "I forgot... you have problems moving fast."

Atoli blinked, seeing Haseo trying to pick a fight with a pack of dog-like monsters. "Haseo's gotten himself in trouble... there's no way he stands a chance against enemies that strong!"

Thinking quickly, she drew her staff and prepared a spell. "Rue Kruz!"

The monsters, who had encircled Haseo and were attempting to pick him off, were blasted away by a geyser of water that erupted beneath them. Unfortunately for Haseo, he also got caught in the ensuing blast. Atoli quickly rushed to his aid, but by the time she arrived, he was standing up.

"You think that attack was powerful enough to hurt me?"

"Um, I'm sorry," Atoli said. "I... I didn't realize-"

Haseo cut her off. "Don't apologize! I'm fine, geez! I don't think the monsters liked it very much, though..."

"I didn't think they would," Atoli remarked, holding her staff up to deflect a monster's attack.

Haseo had already begun to fend off the monster attacking Atoli when another similar geyser knocked him back. He winced, this attack having hurt him a little more than Atoli's. He recognized who it came from, and his anger began to mount.

"Calm down, Haseo!" Silabus called. "Gaspard was only trying to help! He didn't think that his attack would hit you as well..."

"I-I'm sorry," Gaspard mumbled, walking forward slowly, though he stopped when he was jumped from behind and knocked down. Scrambling to get back up, he realized he was surrounded.

Atoli looked displeased. "Are you okay, Gaspard? I'll help you out!" She ran over to the dog-person and dragged him off, making sure that they were a good distance away before launching her spell. The monsters started to flee before the blast of water knocked them out.

"...looks like the mages have a better time with this kind of enemy," Haseo muttered to himself. "There's more of them, though... there's always more of these."

"Haseo! Look behind you!" Silabus warned. Haseo listened, turning around and holding up his sword. Much to his surprise, there was nothing there.

"Dammit, Silabus! This is no time to be playing-"

The wolf-like creature that Silabus had pointed out was now pinning down the swordsman. Haseo swore under his breath, charging toward the wolf and knocking it off of Silabus.

"I guess this guy's the leader of the pack... he looks pretty strong."

"Don't try and take everything on yourself, Haseo," Silabus suggested, readying his weapon. "There's no way you'll be able to beat something like this by yourself!"

The wolf snarled, leaping at Haseo, who was unprepared. He fell down, knocked on his back by the monster. Struggling to get up, he realized he was being pinned down by its claws... and was bleeding from the small wounds inflicted by those claws. Its beady yellow eyes glared into his as its jaws came nearer to his throat.

Haseo realized suddenly that one of his arms, which was still clutching a weapon, was stuck underneath the wolf. While he was trying to move that arm, the blades of his weapon embedded themselves in the wolf's stomach, causing it to yowl and fall back. He gave a flick of his wrist, which caused the blades to start rotating, throwing the wolf off of himself so that he could get back up.

"...Man, this thing's got a lot of spirit power. It isn't gonna go down easily..."

"Try not to get too worked up," Silabus suggested. "I'll try attacking it. You're still weak, so you shouldn't push yourself-... Haseo, are you bleeding?"

Haseo grimaced. "You just _now_ noticed?"

"I'll take care of him," Atoli said quickly, pushing Haseo down on the ground and beginning to heal his wounds. The distraught Adept tried to push her off of himself, but failed when he noticed that she was surprisingly strong for her size.

"Don't move, Haseo... I'm trying to heal you!"

Struggling to get back up, Haseo glared over Atoli's shoulder. "Dammit, I wanted to kill that thing myself!!"

"Haseo, I told you to stay down!" Atoli said. "Don't worry about getting stronger. You'll do just fine as long as you don't get yourself killed, okay?"

"Grr..." Haseo finally listened to her, remembering something that Shino had said a while back. Something about the spirit energy of your foe being shared by friends...

"We did it!" Silabus suddenly called, lowering his blade. "That was a tough monster, though... a lot stronger than a normal wolf. I hope there isn't someone controlling them..."

Atoli let go of Haseo, and he immediately took the opportunity to stand. "Wouldn't surprise me. Maybe he's one of Tri-Edge's lackeys or something. I didn't think that something like that would show up in this kind of place..."

"You're a little suspicious, Haseo," Atoli commented. "...But you have a point... I..."

Haseo tilted his head. "Yeah? What's wrong, Atoli?"

"N-nothing," Atoli said. "I... I just thought I heard something coming from that wolf."

"Heard something? Hmm..." Haseo pondered. _I shouldn't underestimate Tri-Edge... if he can mind control these kinds of monsters as well..._

**aba**

The training session lasted only a short while. The area they'd gone to was sparsely populated, but it was enough for Haseo to feel more confident with his abilities. As they returned, Haseo, still wracked by his loss, had his head down, and when he spoke, he sounded bothered.

"...Damn... I hate feeling weak..."

Silabus frowned. "...I'm sorry, Haseo. You've been looking for that 'Tri-Edge' person, right? You wanted to be able to find and defeat him..."

"I found him, but he beat me," Haseo said. "Tri-Edge isn't someone just anyone can tangle with. I can't just try and go after him while I'm this... powerless... and..."

"Haseo, why do you want to find Tri-Edge?" Atoli inquired, concerned.

"...He killed my friend," Haseo replied. "...He killed her... and sealed her spirit. She can't come back to this world..."

Atoli blinked. "...I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said anything..."

"I'm... amazed that you're willing to entrust us with this information," Silabus commented. "I didn't think someone like you would be willing to say something like that to people you just met..."

Haseo fell silent, stepping toward the doors that would lead to the city. When he spoke up, it was in a dull, emotionless tone. "...I'm heading back home. I need to get some sleep..."

"Okay, then," Atoli said. "Goodbye, Haseo..."

"Yeah, see you later," Silabus agreed. "And... sorry I couldn't help more."

Waving back at the two, the depressed Adept opened the door and started off toward his home. Silabus and Atoli looked at each other, silently pondering what had happened to Haseo in the past.

**aba**

"As you can see, this boy is also one of 'them'..."

The speaker, a tall, muscular, dark-skinned, bald-headed man, addressed his two listeners; a pink-haired, scantily-clad woman, and a blue-haired, well-dressed man. "...Pi, Kuhn. You remember the segment of the Epitaph that I told you both about when you entered into this project... right?"

"Yes, Master Yata," the woman said with a nod. "The Eight Phases of the Cursed Wave..."

"That's ancient history!" the blue-haired man exclaimed. "I mean, come on. Pi and I are Tarvos and Magus, right? So, what's so special about this kid? Is he an Epitaph User too?"

"Yes," Yata stated. "...He, like you, is indeed an Epitaph User. He hasn't Awakened his power yet, though... unlike you two. I have the distinct feeling that the Phase attached to this boy..."

"Skeith, the 'Terror of Death'," Pi agreed. "...There's no doubt in my mind that's his Phase if he hasn't Awakened yet. That nickname just can't be a coincidence..."

Kuhn frowned. "So wait, you want Pi and I to go meet this kid and tell him that he's something he probably doesn't have a clue about? Gimme a break..."

"...Kuhn," Yata spoke, his tone commanding. The younger-looking man flinched and nodded. "...You will go to Haseo's house first thing in the morning. As for you, Pi... you will speak with the other one... the girl."

"Huh?" Kuhn seemed displeased. "Why don't _I_ get to talk to the girl?"

"Master Yata is afraid you will do something unpleasant," Pi said. "You know... hearing you say that in that tone, Kuhn, makes me wonder why you were accepted into this project in the first place..."

"Hey, don't say things like that," Kuhn said, laughing. "Don't worry. I'll talk to Haseo. Still, I wanna know who this female Epitaph User is that you're seeing..."

Pi shook her head. "If you met her, you'd probably end up scaring her off with your antics."

"Oh, that hurts," Kuhn muttered.

"Don't worry," Yata said. "If she Awakens, then you'll have the chance to see her. And... when you do meet her, please, try to restrain yourself."

"You don't trust me on this, do you?" Kuhn complained. "Look, just because she's a girl doesn't mean I'm not gonna respect the fact that she's an Epitaph User." He yawned suddenly, then looked away, trying to hide his face. "Um... sorry. I'm a little worn out... hey, Yata, mind if I go get some sleep?"

Yata nodded. "Go ahead. It _is_ getting rather late, after all... you're dismissed, both of you."

"Thanks," Kuhn said, yawning again. He walked off, not realizing that Pi was following him.

"...Hm... two more have shown up," Yata pondered to himself after the other two had left. "Perhaps... I should've informed Kuhn that it was someone he already knew..."

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yeah, admittedly I've been working on this for a bit already. I still need to edit before I continue, though. Before you ask, yes, the wolf was infected with AIDA. It should've been pretty obvious to all you readers, but just in case you didn't know._

_Silabus and Gaspard probably won't be showing up for a while - I'll be working with Kuhn (and his significant other) for the next battle. Until then, though, we're going to be seeing some explanations and a little more insight as to how the Epitaph Users work in this world. I'll go back and make corrections later, for now I'd like to see what the readers think so far._


	3. Premonition

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Note: This segment is going to be a bit longer. Our favorite main character will make an unexpected (expected to the readers) discovery... and Kuhn, as usual, will be... well, Kuhn. There isn't much else I can describe him with, is there? XD_

_Anyway, yeah. This is chapter 3, and by the way, if you want, you can skip the descriptions of all the different Epitaph Users; it's mostly just descriptions of their spirit (or 'real') selves. The last part is a little more significant, though... you'll see when you get to it!_

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own .hack// or Bamcai... er... Bandai Namco. I'm just a poor little girl who owns nothing but her own stupid, utterly retarded ideas... I swear!_

**III** **Chapter 3: Premonition** **III**

"Good morning, Haseo!"

Haseo opened his eyes slightly, trying to remove the ringing in his ears caused by the sound of a high-pitched, rather obnoxious female voice. He recognized it, though.

"...hey... g'mornin', Atoli..."

He realized something, and bolted upright, suddenly wide awake. "Atoli!? How the hell did _you_ get in here!?"

"You left the door unlocked," Atoli replied. "I thought it'd be rude to come in, but the door only locked from the inside... so I was stuck in here... sorry..."

"Where did you sleep?" Haseo questioned, a suspicious glare in his eyes.

"Um... on the floor," Atoli said. "Don't worry, I didn't touch anything... um... I'm sorry..."

He shook his head. "Don't apologize, it's fine..."

A loud knocking on the door interrupted their conversation. Atoli turned around, walking toward the door. "I'll get it, Haseo. You can rest."

"Thanks," Haseo mumbled. He suddenly felt like he wanted to go back to sleep...

He attempted to get some more sleep, but was unable when he heard commotion from downstairs. He got out of bed and walked down the stairs, seeing Atoli conversing with a blue-haired man.

"Wow!" Atoli seemed genuinely surprised. "It's... it's been a long time, Kuhn! How's everything been going on your end?"

Kuhn smiled, giving Atoli a friendly hug. "Oh, plenty's been goin' on. Actually, I kind of have to talk to Haseo about something regarding my job."

"Your job?" Atoli tilted her head. "What's your job?"

"Well, um, it doesn't concern you," Kuhn said, walking past Atoli. "...My boss is super stingy when it comes to these things. So, uh... Haseo and I are gonna have to talk in private."

Haseo blinked sleepily. "...something concerning me?"

"Oh, there you are!" Kuhn said cheerfully. "Good morning, Haseo. My name's Kuhn... I've come from the guild Raven to discuss something very important with you."

"You're the Kuhn that Atoli was talking about?" Haseo questioned. "...Huh. Her description wasn't off..."

"You know Atoli?" Kuhn laughed. "Guess that's why you two were rooming together. Are you her... _boyfriend_?"

Haseo quickly shook his head. "No! What the hell gives you _that_ idea!?"

"Kuhn, there's no need to say things like that," Atoli said. "Haseo and I are just friends. All that happened was that he forgot to lock his door last night, and it only locked from the inside, so I kind of locked myself in..."

"Oh, I see," Kuhn said, sounding disappointed. "Anyway, yeah. Gotta talk to Haseo in private. Sorry, Atoli, but..."

"I understand," Atoli said. "Go ahead and talk to him... I'll be waiting."

The door opened again, quite suddenly. A feminine voice was heard from the doorway. "Kuhn!"

"Oh, crap," Kuhn muttered under his breath, turning. "Um, hi there, Pi! What brings you here?"

"I didn't know you knew her," Pi commented. "So you two are old acquaintances..."

"Are you her friend, too?" Kuhn inquired. "You're not the kind of person to make friends outside of-"

Pi's expression soured. "She's the one I'm _looking for_, you dullard."

"Wait, so Atoli's the one that Yata sent you to look for?" Kuhn allowed his forehead to collide with his hand. "Damn, I should've realized it. I mean, she _is_ hanging out with Haseo after all..."

"Um, excuse me," Atoli said. "Kuhn, is this woman your friend?"

Kuhn shook his head. "No, she's more of a... co-worker. Her name's Pi... and I presume she's here to talk with you about something important. Which means, we'll be calling off the private meeting. Actually, Atoli... you'll be coming with us."

"Huh?" Atoli looked confused. "So this 'private matter' concerns me as well? Why didn't you tell me that?"

"Because I didn't know," Kuhn said. "It's not like my boss fills me in on the details. I'm just a lowly worker dog, don'tcha know?"

Haseo groaned. "Sorry, guys, but I kinda just woke up, and you're giving me a headache. Let's get this talk over with."

"It looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Kuhn remarked, earning himself a glare from the crimson-eyed Adept. "Anyway, yeah. Let's all sit down and talk about this..."

**aba**

Haseo impatiently glared at the blue-haired man who sat across from him. "Yeah? So what's this all about anyway?"

"...Well, y'see..." Kuhn sighed. "I came to warn you... of the power that resides within you."

"Power?" Haseo questioned.

"Yeah, power," Kuhn said. "It's called an Avatar. Only eight of them exist in all this world - Pi and I, as well as Atoli, can all use them too."

Atoli blinked. "What? I can use an 'Avatar'? I've never even heard of something like that..."

"Yes," Pi agreed. "You can use an Avatar... both you and Haseo. However, your power has not yet Awakened... therefore at the moment, you can't use it."

"So what's so special about this power?" Haseo asked, sounding rather irritated. "Yeah, there's only eight of them in the world. So?"

"Well... that's the thing," Kuhn said. "...Ever heard of the 'Epitaph of Twilight'? It's an ancient tale that tells the history of our world in a poetic format. The Epitaph specifically mentions the Cursed Wave - eight demons ruled by a dark entity that, by their lonesome, are merely called Phases."

Haseo growled. "Yeah? So? Get to the point."

"...The point is that these Phases can be used by humans," Kuhn said. "Some of the most powerful demons in all the world, ruled by human masters... it's a thought that would leave most people trembling in terror. Y'see, there are only eight Phases, and thus only eight people that those Phases can inhabit. These are the Avatars... fighting beasts that exist only to do battle and wreak havoc upon others. Until now, their power has been sealed away within their users... ever since the hero of old, Kite, defeated them."

"...So you're saying that these 'Avatars' are demons?" Haseo said. "Why would they let ordinary people use them?"

"They've become free from their master," Kuhn replied. "They're just like all other entities in this world... they desire freedom. Now, they're waking up one by one... those who can use the power of these Phases must be warned. If their power goes out of control, then... countless people could be killed and their spirits sealed... so that they're unable to return to this world."

Haseo pondered. "...Spirits sealed... so does that mean that Tri-Edge can use an Avatar?"

"...Actually, there's one other thing we need to tell you about," Kuhn said. "It's not just the Avatars that can seal spirits. A new, highly infectious virus has been discovered... however, instead of corroding the body, it corrodes the mind and spirit. It's called AIDA... people who are infected with this virus have their minds eaten away, left to become slave to the virus' desires, which usually involve amplifying the individual's negative emotions to an extent that they go berserk and may even attack. We think that Tri-Edge is an AIDA."

"Naturally, since AIDA can corrode the mind and spirit of those it infects..." Pi continued. "...if it attacks another person, it could cause a much more dangerous reaction. AIDA can seal spirits in much the same way that Avatars can... by draining the spirit's energy and making it unable to return to this world. There's little difference between the two types of sealing."

Kuhn nodded. "However, at the same time, the power of an Avatar can be used against AIDA. It's a spiritual entity, just as Avatars are. The two can damage each other, and perhaps... even destroy each other. We've proven that AIDA can be destroyed and Avatars strengthened via the Avatar's spirit-draining power... we have yet to prove if the opposite is possible."

"So wait, basically you want me to use my 'Avatar' power to help you guys fight this 'AIDA'?" Haseo said. "Well, if you say Tri-Edge is AIDA, I've no objection."

"I'm... not sure if I can quite wrap my head around all this yet," Atoli said. "But... if it's to help Haseo, then I'll agree to it..."

Kuhn smiled. "Alright then. As of now, both of you are going to be part of our guild, Raven!"

_...I'm not sure I like this Kuhn guy,_ Haseo thought to himself. _...But I guess if he's Atoli's friend, then I guess I'll put up with him. As for the other one... she's stuck-up and a pain in the ass..._

**aba**

Haseo grimaced as he looked up at the plaque hung on the wall of the guild's base. "Does this contain _all_ our personal information? Damn..."

_"Name: Haseo_

_Real Name: Misaki Ryou  
Physical Age: 17_

_Spirit Age: 17_

_Epitaph: Phase 1_

_Residence: Eternal City Mac Anu"_

"...'Epitaph, Phase 1'?" Haseo pondered to himself. "All the rest is right, but... what the hell does that mean?"

"So, I see you found it." It was the casual voice of the man he'd met earlier. "That's got all the information we've collected on the Epitaph Users so far... er, the people who can use Avatars. They're called Epitaph Users by our little group."

Haseo turned. "...So basically, what this means is that each Phase has its own designated number?"

"Yeah," Kuhn replied. "...My Phase is called Magus, the Propagation. Pi's is Tarvos, the Avenger. And yours is Skeith, the Terror of Death."

Nodding, the Adept once again began to ponder. "...So this little plaque here has information on all the Epitaph Users you know about? Huh. That's a little creepy."

"Only the Epitaph Users are allowed to come to Raven," Kuhn said. "In other words, the only people that get to know this stuff are the Epitaph Users themselves. It's kind of a privilege."

Haseo glanced back at the plaque. "So that means I can find out _your_ real name and where _you_ live just by looking at this list."

"Go ahead," Kuhn said. "Not like I can keep it private now, since you're an Epitaph User."

"...Huh?" Haseo seemed interested in the second person on the list. "This is..."

_"Name: Atoli_

_Real Name: Kusaka Chigusa_

_Physical Age: 16_

_Spirit Age: 16_

_Epitaph: Phase 2_

_Residence: Moon Tree"_

"...You've gotta be kidding me," Haseo muttered to himself. "She _lives_ with those crazy pacifist nutcases? Geez..."

"Hey, don't say bad things about Atoli," Kuhn said. "She's your friend, right?"

Haseo grumbled. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Besides, there's nothing much I can do. It's her choice, right? As long as she doesn't start preaching her ideals to me or whatever..."

_"Name: Kuhn_

_Real Name: Kasumi Tomonari_

_Physical Age: 24_

_Spirit Age: 24_

_Epitaph: Phase 3_

_Residence: Eternal City Mac Anu"_

"You live here too?" Haseo inquired. "I didn't know that. I also didn't figure you were 24 either."

Kuhn shrugged. "Yeah, I live here too. Don't worry, I'll only come over if it has something to do with the Avatars or AIDA."

"I'm not worried about anything," Haseo groaned. "So wait, who's this guy?"

_"Name: Yata_

_Real Name: Hino Takumi_

_Physical Age: 36_

_Spirit Age: 17_

_Epitaph: Phase 4_

_Residence: Raven"_

"Oh, him?" Kuhn seemed displeased. "Well... he's our boss, kinda. He's the guildmaster... spends almost all his life here. Most people here try not to hide their real age, but-"

"Yeah, that was one thing I noticed," Haseo said. "Most of the people listed here are the same age as their spirits. But this Yata guy... he's totally lying about his age. He's as old as I am, for cryin' out loud!"

Kuhn laughed. "Maybe that's why he and I aren't on such good terms."

"Excuse me?"

"No, I mean, he acts like a know-it-all," Kuhn said. "But in reality, he's just a kid. A stubborn, childish teenager who doesn't listen to anyone but himself. A lot like you, but Yata's different. He's in a superior position, and a bit... arrogant about his title."

Haseo shook his head. "...hey, if you're trying to insult me, then at least come out and say it..." He focused once again on the plaque that had drawn his attention. "This slot's blank."

"Yeah, well, that slot's supposed to belong to Phase 5, Gorre, the Machinator," Kuhn said. "But we haven't quite figured out who its User is yet."

_"Name: Endrance_

_Real Name: ???_

_Physical Age: 20_

_Spirit Age: ???_

_Epitaph: Phase 6_

_Residence: ???"_

"Wait, what?" Haseo was in immediate disbelief. "I thought you guys were supposed to know everything about the Epitaph Users! You don't know a damn thing about this Endrance guy!"

"...Well, there's an explanation for that," Kuhn said. "We don't know where exactly he lives, but most of the time he hangs out in Lumina Cloth, the arena city. We don't know anything about his spirit self because... well, it's presumably because he's being controlled by AIDA. It's hard to detect the spirit self when there's a much larger spiritual presence blotting it out... his aura is almost untraceable."

"Do _you_ know anything about him?" Haseo inquired. "I mean, aside from that."

Kuhn frowned. "Well, the reason he hangs out around Lumina Cloth is because he's the Emperor of the Demon Palace. He took Alkaid's throne a while back, and she's hell-bent on getting revenge. Unfortunately for her, he has an Avatar and she doesn't. Macha, the Temptress... I get the feeling there's a reason behind him having that Phase."

"...Emperor of the Demon Palace in the arena... Epitaph User who's infected with AIDA..." Haseo looked up. "I take it you guys are pretty interested in this Endrance. Is he a member of your guild?"

"No, he's not," Kuhn replied. "If he was, then we'd probably know more about him. But yeah, an Epitaph User infected with AIDA... that's a pretty weird combination."

Haseo pondered as he took a look at the last one listed. The eighth slot was blank, so he assumed that they had no clue who that person was.

_"Name: Pi_

_Real Name: Saeki Reiko_

_Physical Age: 24_

_Spirit Age: 24_

_Epitaph: Phase 7_

_Residence: Raven"_

"She's the same age as you are," Haseo said. "Never would've guessed. She _looks_ like an old hag. And _acts_ like one too."

"Well, you have to forgive Pi," Kuhn said. "She's fiercely loyal and won't disobey orders unless her personal feelings get in the way. Of course, her only real friend is Yata... might explain why she's so attached to him."

"They live together," Haseo commented. "Are they...?"

Kuhn shook his head quickly, waving his hands in the air. "N-no! Don't get the wrong idea about Pi and Yata. They're not living together because they _like_ each other. I think that Pi really doesn't have anywhere else to go, so she just rooms with Yata 'cuz she works here anyhow."

Haseo tilted his head, no longer paying attention to Kuhn. "...What the hell is this? This person isn't an Epitaph User..."

_"Name: Mira_

_Real Name: Minase Mai_

_Physical Age: 25_

_Spirit Age: 23_

_Residence: Eternal City Mac Anu"_

"Ehehe..." Kuhn blushed. "Well, I kinda scribbled that there myself. I don't think Yata's noticed, but Pi's berated me repeatedly for putting her here. She's, uh..."

"...don't tell me you _like_ her," Haseo muttered with a disgusted grimace.

"It's... it's a little more than that," Kuhn said. "She and I... well..."

Haseo turned around and glared at Kuhn. "Spit it out."

"...she's my wife," Kuhn replied quickly before Haseo drew his weapon. "Um... we've been married for two years now. Although, it's considered taboo to even mention her here at Raven..."

"Why's that?" Haseo questioned.

"Well, for one, Pi thinks I should get a divorce," Kuhn said. "It's because of my attitude. She says I'm too much of a flirt to tie myself down with one person. Well, truth be told, I _have_ gotten a number of severe scoldings from Mira too about my... problems. But she understands, because, well... she always tells me it's 'cuz I'm the Propagation and I can't really help it."

"You told her that you were an Epitaph User?"

"I didn't tell her," Kuhn said. "It's more like she found out through the bond we had. She knows everything I've said here... and that's probably the real reason Pi wants me to divorce her. I think she'd rather I marry another Epitaph User like herself..."

"But you don't happen to like her in that way, right?" Haseo snickered. "I can see why. Who _would_ like that old hag?"

Before Kuhn could retort, Atoli stepped up. "Wow, I didn't know you were married, Kuhn!"

"Y-yeah," Kuhn said, sounding embarrassed. "I... well, we've known each other since we were around your age. She tries to act rough and tough but she's a real softie on the inside. The reason I married her was because... well, we'd developed such a strong bond by then that she couldn't keep her feelings bottled up any longer. It's more like... she proposed to me, instead of vice versa."

"Aww, that's so sweet," Atoli said, smiling. "I'd love to meet your wife someday. I bet she's a really nice person... just like you!"

Kuhn laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, she's a sweetheart, but I do get punished sometimes for my behavior. Other than that, though... it's really nice to have someone who'll be there for you all the time. I have to say, ever since we got married, I think I've fallen more in love with her by the day."

"...that's so romantic," Atoli said, blushing. "I... wonder if I'll get married someday..."

Haseo looked down. "...Married, huh..."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Atoli looked at Haseo. "...You're thinking about the girl you liked too, right? Wasn't her name Shino?"

"...yeah," Haseo said, his tone sullen. "...I-I'm sorry, but... I think I'm gonna go be by myself for a while..."

He walked off, leaving Kuhn and Atoli behind. Kuhn tilted his head at Atoli. "He seems really depressed about the whole Shino deal... he must've really liked her."

"Yes, he must've," Atoli agreed. "...I feel bad for him... he lost someone who was, to him, more than just a friend... that must've been hard on him."

"You take good care of him, alright?" Kuhn said. "He's been through a lot, and I think you're one of the few people he considers a friend. He'll probably appreciate it if you help him out in his times of need..."

Atoli nodded. "I've been taking care of him... ever since he saved my life..."

"Well, I'd better get going," Kuhn said. "Take care, alright Atoli? And... if you find Haseo sulking, go ahead and try to cheer him up. I'm sure now that he knows he may be able to defeat Tri-Edge, he might cheer up a little on his own... but hey, I'm worried about him too."

"I'll take care of him," Atoli said. "...Goodbye, Kuhn..."

The gunman turned and left. Atoli waited until he had closed the door behind him before she began to ponder aloud.

"...I wonder... what it's like... to have real friends... people who won't mock you, or put you down, or..."

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yes, I think this was alluded to in the first chapter's notes enough, but... Kuhn is already taken. I'll probably get a LOT of flak for this part. ;-; Yes, Kuhn is awesome, and he knows it, therefore he's going to get a lot more spotlight after this part. More fighting and we introduce Mira and Magus in the next chapter. After that... well, read and find out!_


	4. Failure

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: I hope this chapter isn't too long. And yeah, I know I'm putting them up waaaay too fast, but that's because I already have a good portion of the beginning written out. (Let's just say I stayed up until nearly 4 in the morning writing last night.) Anyway, yeah, we get to see Mira for the first time. Again, I'm not sure how to depict her since I'm not familiar with Mai's personality, but my excuse for OOCness is that it's been 7 years and she's probably changed in that time._

_I'm also going to be introducing an Avatar, as well as an AIDA. No Awakenings yet, but that's to be expected._

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bamcai... lemme correct that... Bandai Namco._

**IV Chapter 4: Failure** **IV**

Kuhn counted down the seconds as he stepped outside, waiting for someone to intercept him and inquire about something or other. It took only three seconds for him to spot Haseo approaching.

"Ah, well. Figured it'd be Pi... well, Haseo can be just as bad..."

The black-clad Adept had a distinct scowl on his face as he approached Kuhn; the gunman didn't think anything of it, since that was Haseo's normal expression. "Hey, what's wrong this time?"

"Kuhn," Haseo said, looking up. "Do you know how to Awaken the Avatar's power?"

Kuhn shook his head. "Nope. I actually got pulled into this mess without even knowing what was going on... when I Awakened, it was to protect myself and I didn't know what it was."

He quickly noticed the distraught expression appearing on his friend's face. "Hey, don't be so upset, Haseo. I'm sure you'll Awaken on your own too. It might take some time, but..."

"The best way to Awaken its power..." came the voice of a third party. "...is to be subject to a large amount of emotional distress."

Haseo glared over Kuhn's shoulder. "And who are you?"

"Please, don't be so rude." The voice was surprisingly gentle for the woman from which it came. She had long, sky-blue hair, similar to Kuhn's, except it wasn't tied back. Her clothes consisted of a short-sleeved black leather shirt, which exposed her abdomen, that was decorated with a teal-colored wave marking, as well as black pants with similar wave symbols running up and down their length. Her hands were encased in black, fingerless gloves, which were, again, dressed up with symbols. There were two markings on either side of her face, and her eyes were teal as well.

"Yeah, you practically know her like the back of your hand by now," Kuhn remarked, laughing. "Mira, this is Haseo. Haseo, this is Mira."

_So __**this**__ is Mira,_ Haseo thought absently. _...Kuhn's wife... I wouldn't expect her to appeal to his tastes._ "...so I've heard you got in good with Kuhn about two years ago, Mira."

Mira tilted her head, then burst into laughter. "You certainly have an interesting way of putting things, Haseo!"

"Nice to meet you too," Haseo muttered sarcastically. "So, does Kuhn think the dominatrix look is hot or something? Must get awful stuffy in all that black..."

"You shouldn't be one to talk," Mira shot back. "And I happen to like these clothes."

Kuhn quickly raised his hands. "Alright, you two, quit fighting. Anyway... Haseo, if you want, then we can take you out to fight some monsters or something. As Mira said, it takes a lot of emotional distress to Awaken. The problem is, it's tough to gauge just _how_ much is required... if there was an easier way out, we'd have all the eight Phases in our possession already."

"How does she know all this stuff anyway?" Haseo complained.

"Uh, didn't I already tell you?" Kuhn said. "Yeah, um... let's go, then."

Haseo scowled. "Man, I've only known her for this long and I already can't stand her attitude... I guess I'll just follow Kuhn, then. He could probably kick my ass knowing that I don't have an Avatar yet..."

**aba**

"This'll do," Kuhn said. "A nice, open field with plenty of things to pick a fight with. Go ahead, Haseo... run wild. Mira and I will cover your back in case something happens. Don't worry... she may not look like it, but she's surprisingly good with healing magic."

Haseo hung his head. "...Damn, I wish Atoli were here... at least then I don't have to worry about getting healed by _her_. What kind of weapon does she use anyway?"

A perky female voice interrupted him from his complaining. "Oh, hello Haseo! I didn't expect you to be here!"

"Oh, Atoli!" Kuhn waved over to the girl. "What brings you here today?"

"I like to come here when I need to think," Atoli said. "It's one of my favorite places. I've never really fought in it before, though... the monsters here are too strong. The one time I tried, I kinda Cycled..."

"Then I'll protect you," Kuhn said. Seeing the look on Mira's face, he quickly added, "...And Mira will, too."

Atoli smiled. "Oh, so this is your wife, Kuhn!" She waved toward Mira. "Pleased to meet you!"

"Hello," Mira said. "It's nice to meet you as well. Um... what's your name?"

"Atoli," the girl replied. "I would've thought that Kuhn would tell you who I was by now, though... hehe..."

"You're one of Kuhn's friends?" Mira smirked. "You must know of his... tendencies, then."

Atoli giggled. "Well, it's because he's the 'Propagation', right?"

"...You know about that stuff?" Mira inquired suspiciously. Kuhn raised a hand, looking at her.

"Well, of course she does. She's one too."

"Has she Awakened yet?" Mira questioned.

"Uh, nope," Kuhn said. "I wonder if it'd be a good idea to take her along with Haseo and see if she Awakens..."

"Let's do that, then," Mira agreed.

Haseo glanced at Atoli. "You came just in time. I didn't want to be healed by Mira..."

"Why not?" Atoli pondered, confused. "Oh, I think I know! It's because you'd rather be healed by me! Isn't that right, Haseo?"

Blushing, the Adept turned away. "That's _not_ what I meant!"

"I was just kidding," Atoli said. "...I understand if you don't like Mira, but please try not to hurt her feelings, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Haseo mumbled. "What's the plan, Kuhn?"

"Well, depends on which route you wanna take first," Kuhn said. "There's a river to the east of here, but the monsters there are pretty tough. To the west, they're weaker, so it'll make for an easier ride."

Haseo shook his head. "I'll take the eastern path."

"Are you sure about that?" Kuhn questioned. "You don't want to get yourself killed. Not at this stage."

"Well, if I'm closer to dying, I might have a better chance," Haseo said. "That's why I'm gonna take the eastern path. Hey, if you want, you can go west, but I'm going east."

"Okay, then," Kuhn said. "Just... be careful, okay?"

Atoli smiled. "I'll be backing him! He won't die as long as I'm there... right, Haseo?"

"...yeah, thanks," Haseo muttered, not sounding very pleased.

Recklessly, the Adept charged off, leaving Kuhn and Mira behind with Atoli struggling to catch up. Kuhn sighed, wondering how long it would take before Haseo realized that this wasn't such a good idea.

"Let's just follow him and make sure he's okay," Mira suggested.

"Fine by me," Kuhn agreed, running off in Haseo's direction.

By the time they arrived, Haseo had already attracted the attention of a number of bird-like monsters. Atoli was struggling to keep from laughing as her friend was bombarded by their attacks and not even bothering to defend himself.

"You idiot!" Kuhn called. "At least try to fight back!"

Haseo snarled. "Yeah, right! Like I'm gonna!"

"Getting your ass kicked is _not_ gonna help you Awaken," Kuhn pointed out. "Come on, I'll help you out!" He drew his bayonet, aiming it at one of the birds and quickly shooting it down.

"I'm not sure he liked that," Mira remarked, seeing the scowl on Haseo's face.

"Damn straight I didn't!" Haseo growled, charging after another bird with his swords drawn. "I could've handled this situation myself without you!"

"No, Haseo!" Atoli exclaimed. "I could never have kept healing you for long enough! I have a limit to my spirit power too, you know!"

"Hey, that reminds me," Haseo said. "Why aren't you fighting?"

Atoli's tone was unusually sharp. "Is it reason enough for you that I wanted to save my energy for healing you?"

"Don't just stand back there and watch!" Haseo complained. "Get your ass over here and start fighting! Geez! Mira's here, so you don't need to heal anymore, right?"

"H-Haseo..." Atoli stood back at the sudden anger that radiated from Haseo. She looked down, then realized that not paying attention during a fight wouldn't do anything.

"Haseo, I believe you made a mistake," Mira stated. "...I'm not a healer by profession. I know some of the arts of healing, but... I'm far from a healer."

Haseo blinked. "You aren't? Then what are you? I've been wondering that ever since I saw you!"

"...Adept Rogue," Mira replied. "Just like you."

She drew a scythe whose blade was edged with several smaller blades. She charged forward, striking two of the bird monsters and knocking them down and out. Switching her scythe out for a pair of bladed gauntlets, she gave a third bird monster a swift punch in the face, which quickly killed it.

Haseo flinched, seeing the birds, which he had barely even dented, so rapidly felled by this woman. "Damn... she's tough... I'm glad she's on my side..."

"Wow!" Atoli commented. "I guess Mira's really strong too!"

"Yep, that's my girl," Kuhn remarked, laughing. "Sometimes I wonder if she's the one protecting me!"

Haseo looked around, only to realize that the area surrounding him was suddenly cleared of enemies. He sighed, continuing down the path and hoping that he wouldn't be ambushed again.

"Why are you so uneasy around me, Haseo?" Mira inquired. "I mean, I'm sorry if I bothered you, but..."

"It's fine," Haseo muttered. "It's not your fault..."

In his mind, though, he was thinking something completely different. _She acts so much like... Shino..._

**aba**

Haseo grimaced, striking down the lizard monster that had attacked him. "...Why can't I Awaken? What the hell am I doing wrong?"

"It doesn't look like there are many more left," Kuhn observed. "You've been on a roll lately, Haseo. You're getting stronger, but... no signs of Awakening."

"...Damn..." Haseo scowled, stowing his weapons. "There's nothing else I can do now. Let's head back..."

Kuhn sighed. "...I'm sorry, Haseo. I know you were looking forward to Awakening, but... it just doesn't happen that easily..."

Before he could say anything further, he stiffened. Haseo was startled by this sudden difference in behavior.

"What's wrong?"

"...AIDA," Kuhn replied quickly. "I'm the only one here who can use an Avatar. It'd be best if I took it out."

Haseo berated himself for having not Awakened before his eyes turned to Kuhn. He came upon the rather unexpected realization that the world around him was beginning to crumble... the world he knew slowly became encased in an expanse of black as bizarre, glowing yellow patternings appeared on Kuhn's body.

"_...Come on! My... Magus!_"

The gunman's body disappeared, replaced by a peculiar, almost machine-like figure. Each of its arms bore a set of leaves, and the long tail protruding from its underside also had a number of leaf-like appendages. Its face was nothing but a white shield, and its body looked surprisingly thin and fragile, though parts of it were armored heavily.

"Stand back, Haseo," Kuhn ordered. "I'll take care of this one!"

It was then that Haseo noticed what Kuhn was targeting; a small yet strange monster with a few tentacles, resembling some kind of bug. Kuhn charged forward, striking the monster with one of his Avatar's hands, which subsequently created a sound like shattering glass.

"Here we go!"

Kuhn raised Magus' other arm, and it became enveloped with transparent green tendrils, aimed at the opposing monster. As soon as the tendrils enveloped the monster, it began to fade from existence, and eventually disappeared altogether.

"...What in the..." Almost stunned into silence by the scene that had unfolded before him, Haseo recognized the spirit-draining attack that had made him the way he was now. "That's just like... Tri-Edge's..."

Kuhn descended, recalling his Avatar and allowing the world around them to return to normal. "Yeah, that's why we think Tri-Edge might be AIDA. Some more advanced AIDA have that same ability you saw there. Though usually, it isn't as powerful as that of the Avatars..."

Sighing, the young Adept turned away. "...If you don't mind, I'll be going now."

"Yeah, let's head back," Kuhn agreed. "Nothing much happened here, so... there's not much point in staying. And... I'm sorry, Haseo."

"Would you stop apologizing already?" Haseo snarled. "You're almost as bad as Atoli!"

"Alright, alright," Kuhn said, laughing. "Don't kill me, geez!"

Haseo's response was a low growl. "...If you wanna come with me again, Atoli, I'm not complaining."

"Oh, that reminds me," Atoli said. "I have someone I want to introduce you to... when we go back to Mac Anu, I'll see if I can contact him."

"...sure, that's fine by me," Haseo said. Inwardly, though, he felt rather suspicious. _Who's this guy Atoli wants to introduce me to? He must be a friend of hers..._

**aba**

Atoli was surprised to find the person she was looking for standing right in front of her after she had teleported back. She waved to the man, smiling.

"Hello, Sakaki!"

"...Greetings, Atoli," Sakaki stated calmly. "And... is this your friend?"

"Yes, of course he is," Atoli replied. "His name is Haseo."

Sakaki nodded. "As in, 'Haseo the Terror of Death'? Yes, I think I recognize him."

"...Please, don't be angry with him," Atoli said. "He needs a little bit of his act fixed, but... he's a really nice friend of mine. I understand... that you don't like me being friends with a person like him."

"That's quite alright," Sakaki said. "I don't mind you being friends with him." He raised his hand, greeting Haseo. "...It's a pleasure."

Haseo looked away. "Yeah, yeah. Nice to meet you and all that. You're a captain of Moon Tree, right? Second Division. Everyone knows Sakaki."

"Haseo!" Atoli began, but was stopped by Sakaki. She looked away, frowning slightly at her companion's rude behavior.

"Oh, so you _do_ know me," Sakaki said. "...Well, in that case, introductions aren't necessary. I trust we both know each other and stand on equal ground?"

"...yeah," Haseo said, not allowing his displeasure to be seen. _For some reason, I have a bad feeling about this guy..._

Atoli smiled. "Well, if that's all, I'll be off. Thank you for taking the time to stop by, Sakaki. I enjoyed seeing you again..."

"Let's go, Atoli," Haseo said. "Is back to my house alright?"

"Yes, it is," Atoli said with a nod. "And please, don't treat Sakaki badly. I understand that you don't like his ideals, but... he just wants to help people, okay?"

"...Yeah," Haseo agreed halfheartedly.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yeah, Sakaki's coming in now. He'll probably end up going about things a bit differently than in the games... though I don't plan on excluding the numerous Sakaki-related incidents that happen, either. Just wait and see!_

_For those of you who don't know, Mira is pronounced similarly to Mai's name, or at least that's my envisioning of the pronunciation of her name. I was considering other spellings of the name that came to mind (Myra, Mila, etc.), but stuck with Mira in the end._

_Next chapter, prepare for the Haseo x Atoli hints (yes, they're appearing this early on). I'm also plotting to start Haseo's coronation as Guildmaster of Canard, as well as the arena tournament, soon._


	5. Leader

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Well, here comes the next part of the fic. The sparks are beginning to light between Haseo and Atoli, and the beginning of another intriguing event occurs. Plus we get to see Haseo's generosity and another of the Epitaph Users!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco. Look, I finally said it right!_

**V** **Chapter 5: Leader** **V**

Haseo breathed a heavy sigh, sitting on his bed and resting his head in his hand. He pondered the day's events... it had been a long day, and not only was he tired, but also hungry.

He heard the voice of his friend from the doorway, but didn't pay attention at first. She called again, tilting her head confusedly.

"Haseo, I made us some food."

"Food?" Haseo repeated, surprised. "You cook?"

"Yes, I do," Atoli replied, smiling. "If you like, I can bring you some... or would you rather come and eat with me?"

Haseo ran over the two options for a moment before deciding on the latter. "I'll come and eat with you downstairs. Thanks, by the way. I get tired of cooking every night."

"You're welcome!" Atoli said cheerfully, walking back downstairs. Haseo soon followed, grateful for her hospitality.

The smells wafting from the kitchen made Haseo's stomach rumble. He wondered what exactly it was she had cooked... whatever it was, it smelled _wonderful_. He sat down at his table and waited for only a minute or two before Atoli came back out to serve him.

"I really like cooking," Atoli commented, laying out the food before him. "...I hope you enjoy it. I made it with ingredients you had here."

Haseo nodded, a rare smile crossing his face. "It looks and smells delicious."

Atoli smiled back at him, then sat across from him, surprised that there was more than one chair available. She began to eat quietly, hoping that Haseo's eating habits weren't like those of most men she'd met.

However, he did seem to mind his manners. Looking up from his food after only one bite, he spoke up.

"Y'know, if there's one thing you're good at, Atoli, it's cooking."

Laughing quietly to herself, the Cleric continued to eat her own serving, eyeing Haseo while he ate. She blushed when she realized her thoughts were ambling... but he really _did_ look attractive even when he ate...

It was only a short time before the meal was finished; Haseo stood, excusing himself for the restroom while Atoli finished her dinner. When he returned, she welcomed him back with a smile, then stood and started to walk out to the living area.

"Come with me, Haseo. If... if you don't mind, let's chat a bit."

Haseo followed Atoli out to the living area, settling down on the sofa. Atoli sat next to him, but made sure to keep her distance lest he snap at her.

"So... what did you want to talk about?"

"Um..." Atoli seemed rather shy as she thought of a topic of conversation. "...Well, what do you like doing in your spare time?"

"...There isn't much to do, really," Haseo replied. "I guess... it's fun to read every so often."

Atoli giggled. "I wouldn't have seen you as being the type to read, Haseo. As for me... you know I like cooking, right? Well... I also like looking at scenery. It's so relaxing to just sit by the ocean and listen to the waves..."

Haseo fell silent for a moment. He wondered if it really would be nice to take a look at the scenery every once in a while...

"...And I also like birds," Atoli continued. "Especially the little songbirds. I have a few pet birds back at home... you can probably tell I got my name from a bird too."

"Yeah, I noticed that," Haseo commented, laughing. "Well, it must be fun to have a pet..."

"It isn't just the birds, either," Atoli said. "I got a puppy, too... it took a little bit of begging for my parents to get me one, though. He's still young, so he's very curious, but he's so sweet too. It really is like having another member of the family!"

Haseo was intrigued by this. "A dog? What kind is he?"

"I don't really know," Atoli replied. "But he's really cute! He grows out his fur really long, so he's kind of shaggy... we have to brush him a lot, and trim his hair... he has floppy ears and a long tail, too. His fur's colored... well, golden. And he's really playful and friendly!"

"Sounds familiar," Haseo said. "I think I've seen a dog like that before..."

Atoli smiled. "Well, I'll have to introduce you to him someday! I called him Ren... it's the name of a winged dog from another world."

"I think I'd like meeting your dog," Haseo agreed. "If there's one thing I can admit to, it's that I like animals."

She tried to keep from voicing her thoughts as she looked at him. _...He's so handsome... and he's kind of cute, too... I feel like such a girl now... hehe..._

"Something wrong, Atoli?" Haseo inquired, noticing that the girl was staring at him.

"N-no," Atoli said quickly. "I... I was just thinking... you're really attractive. I bet... if you wanted a girlfriend, it wouldn't be hard to find one."

Haseo looked away, trying to hide his flushed face. "...Uh, thanks, I guess."

"It's a compliment," Atoli insisted.

"Yeah, I know..." Haseo said with a nod. "Although, to be honest, you're the first girl who's called me attractive."

Atoli blushed profusely. "...I guess that means something to you, then..."

"It does, kinda," Haseo said. "...hey, Atoli, it's getting late. If you want to go home, I'm not gonna object."

"But... what if I wanted to stay here?" Atoli asked, giving Haseo a pleading look. "I promise I won't cause any trouble... I'll sleep on the floor again if I have to-"

"Fine, fine," Haseo mumbled. "But you don't have to sleep on the floor, okay? I'll let you sleep wherever you want, so long as it's not in _my_ bed."

Atoli giggled. "Thank you, Haseo. I'll be sure to keep it in mind."

**aba**

_Man, how did I manage to get myself into this situation?_

The disgruntled Terror of Death was tending to a shop in Mac Anu's central district. It had all started when a brief encounter with Silabus and Gaspard led to Silabus deciding that Haseo should handle Canard in his place. The excuse he used was that Haseo had "leadership potential", which Haseo honestly thought was a load of crap. However, he couldn't worm his way out of their insistence, and here he was, trying to establish himself as a guildmaster.

Granted, ever since the incident with Tri-Edge, he hadn't gotten a real job or anything of the sort. Most of the time he moped around in his house or ventured out into places beyond the city with Atoli or some of his other comrades. Having something to do besides mope was as much of a relief as it was a bother. Haseo wasn't at all surprised when he heard the voice of a young boy, who was suddenly standing in front of the shop, trying to attract Haseo's attention.

Haseo turned to his new customer, who may as well have been half his height. "Welcome to Shop Acorn. How may I help you?"

With the expression on his face, the boy would've expected a much more rude greeting. "Hello, mister... I'm looking for a Dusty Miller..."

"Well, you're in luck," Haseo said. "We've got one left. Can you pay for it?"

"Um... well..." Shoveling through his pockets, the boy shook his head sadly. "...It looks like... my sister spent all my money..."

"Your sister?" Haseo tilted his head in confusion. "How did your sister get ahold of your money?"

The boy sighed. "Well... we were born twins, and she decided to inhabit the same body as me... it's kinda weird, but I've been living with it all my life... most people just look at me weird when they say I have two spirits in one body, but... it's really true..."

"...oh," Haseo said, nodding. "Well, it is strange, but I'm not gonna deny it. But I can't sell you the Dusty Miller if you don't have the money to pay for it..."

"Well, that's okay," the boy replied. "I was just... gonna get a birthday present for my sister, anyhow..."

"...A birthday present, huh..." Haseo began to think. He couldn't just turn the kid down, but on the other hand, if the kid didn't have the money, he couldn't sell it to him... "...Well, I guess I'll give you a discount, then. You can take it."

He handed over the object to the boy, who looked genuinely surprised. "Um... th-thank you, mister...?"

"Haseo," the Adept replied simply. "And don't thank me. I was just doing what anyone else would've."

"Still, it was really nice of you," the boy insisted. "My name's Bo, and my sister's name is Saku... I hope we can see each other again, Haseo!"

He ran off as Haseo waved goodbye. Breathing a sigh, the Terror of Death once again sat down, wiping the sweat off of his forehead.

"Haseo!"

Recognizing the voice instantly, Haseo glared in the direction it had come from. "Atoli! What, are you gonna tease me for-"

"No, it was just really nice of you," Atoli said. "I knew you were a good person when I first met you..."

Haseo tilted his head. "...Um, thanks, I guess. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Well, Silabus told me that you were going to inherit Canard," Atoli said. "I came to help you out. Besides, I could use a few more cooking ingredients anyhow..."

"Okay, then could you please _not_ spend any money here?" Haseo insisted. "...I'm _not_ gonna train a bunch of new adventurers. I don't care what-"

Atoli looked at Haseo with one of those glimmers in her eye that he just couldn't say no to. "...Fine, I'll help Silabus out..."

"That's the spirit!" Atoli proclaimed, stepping up to the counter. "Thank you, Haseo!"

Haseo frowned. "Why are _you_ thanking me?"

"Because... well, because I don't have much food left at home," Atoli replied. "I have to pay for Ren as well as my three birds... not to mention my parents, who always make me cook for them..."

"Must be tough," Haseo said, sounding disinterested as he listed off the things that Atoli would need. "...Are you sure you can pay for all this?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Atoli said. "Sakaki always gives me money when I don't have enough to buy groceries. It's really nice of him, don't you think?"

Haseo fell silent, nodding, but he thought otherwise. _I still don't get why Sakaki pisses me off so badly. Maybe I'm just jealous..._ He brushed off the thought, mentally slapping himself. He wasn't going to be jealous of any of _Atoli's_ friends.

"Here you go," Haseo said, handing her the food. "And... tell Sakaki I said thank you, too," he added, thinking that if he got on good terms with Sakaki, he might be able to tolerate him better.

Atoli smiled. "I will! See you later, Haseo!"

The Adept couldn't help but laugh as he watched Atoli struggle to maintain her balance while carrying the items she'd bought. A flash of green and brown disrupted his vision, and in a matter of seconds, Silabus had taken some of the burden himself, helping Atoli up the stairs. Haseo tried to keep from plastering a grin on his face at the sight. It was amusing, as well as downright adorable.

"See, Haseo?" It was the squeaky voice of a familiar dog-boy. "Helping people out makes everybody happy in the end!"

"Gaspard," Haseo addressed him, turning. "Well, since Silabus is occupied, I guess I'll have to go back to Canard with you instead. By the way, tell Silabus I said thank you later. I guess... he was right about all of this." Inwardly, he added, _But still, I don't want to have to deal with that damned pig again..._

Gaspard nodded. "Y-yeah! I'll take you back to Canard. And I'll tell Silabus about that later. Let's go! Don't worry, I'll handle the shop from here on out. You don't have to play shopkeeper again... I can tell you didn't like it very much."

"Hell no," Haseo agreed, walking off with Gaspard.

**aba**

The evening was drifting off into night... Haseo knew that he still had one last thing to check on before he headed back home. He thought of paying a visit to the arena city of Lumina Cloth; he wanted to see if he could enter the arena tournament.

_Arena tournament... if I do that, then I'll be able to fight Endrance. Maybe then I'll Awaken..._

He wandered through the busy streets of the well-lit city, deciding to take a seat at the arena's spectator area. He stared down at the battle ring, wondering why everyone was so impatient.

A voice startled him from his thoughts. "Oh, Haseo! I didn't think you'd be here. I had no clue you were interested in the arena... today's the title match."

"Title match, huh..." Haseo pondered. "Look, Silabus. I wanted to see what the arena was all about. Let's just say... I've grown an interest in the Emperor."

Silabus seemed surprised. "You're interested in the Emperor? If you want to fight him, you should enter for the next tournament. But... the thing is, Emperor Endrance is undefeated."

"...Yeah," Haseo said with a nod, more interested in the battle ring now. There were three challengers, but the person on the other side of the arena was fighting by himself.

_Title match... so that guy must be Endrance._

He could feel the sharp sting of the man's aura. On the outside, one would see Endrance as a beautiful, elegant warrior, but on the inside he was nothing more than a hollow shell controlled by AIDA. The crowd's inanely loud cheering was threatening to blot out Haseo's thoughts, but at the same time, the AIDA in Endrance's aura could be felt clearly, and that was a pain that Haseo wouldn't forget.

_It hurts... just to look at him. Is that what AIDA does to people?_

The three challengers began to stalk their target, but Endrance dodged every attack. Meandering left and right in an evasive dance, the Emperor looked far more graceful than anything Haseo had ever seen before. Mesmerized by Endrance's agility, Haseo continued to watch the match until he got bored with the lack of action.

"...He's not attacking at all. How does he expect to win? One of those guys is gonna hit him eventually, and-"

Haseo heard a sharp ringing in his ears. He looked down at Endrance; though the swordsman had glowed before, this time he was glowing much brighter - and with blinding patterns covering his entire body. Recognizing the combination of the tone and the patterns, he strained to keep his mouth shut.

_That's..._

The world around Endrance crumbled into black. Everything had disappeared, leaving just the two Epitaph Users behind. Haseo wondered if the crowd could even see what Endrance was doing... He watched helplessly as Endrance transformed, an Avatar resembling a cat demon wearing a skirt of rose petals erupting from his form.

"..._Macha, the Temptress_..." Haseo didn't even realize he'd spoken those words aloud. Silabus gave him a curious glance, but Haseo didn't notice.

In a flash, it was over. The three challengers had been slain by Endrance's Avatar, and the Emperor emerged once again. Landing on his feet with an almost catlike grace, he glared coldly at the three fallen warriors before glancing at the small, white cat perched on his shoulder.

"Just now, Haseo..." Silabus said. "...Why did you say that?"

Haseo blinked. "Huh?"

"You said, 'Macha the Temptress'," Silabus explained. "...Why, exactly?"

"...I said that aloud?" Haseo mentally cursed himself. He hoped and prayed that Silabus was the only spectator that had noticed. He wondered if such a serious offense as spreading the word could result in expulsion from Raven...

"Well, it's just, that's the name of a monster in the Epitaph of Twilight," Silabus said. "Why did you bring it up here? Was there any real reason?"

Haseo shook his head. "No, I just saw something a bit strange, that's all."

"Did it have to do with Endrance?"

"...Wait, were you able to see it too?"

Haseo's eyes narrowed. _It would make sense that an ordinary person would be able to see a demon... I should've realized..._

"Not really," Silabus replied. "But... I did see an outline of some kind of huge monster... coming out of Endrance. I've seen that before in all his other matches, but... I never really thought much of it. I thought it was a technique that he used to..."

"...C'mon," Haseo stated, standing and walking out of the spectator seats. Confused, Silabus followed, wondering what was wrong with Haseo.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: I was going to go straight to the tournament, but this little idea was too tempting. It'll get a little crazy later on, induced by the event at the end of this chapter._

_And yes, the dog I'm describing was a golden retriever. The name 'Ren' was inspired by an original story I'm in the process of writing. XD_


	6. Infraction

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Things are going to start getting a bit more heated in this chapter. (And before you ask, no, Kuhn and Silabus are not gay.) Also, this takes place just before the first round of the Demon Palace tournament; I think you can all guess what'll happen after that!_

_Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. I swear. D;_

**VI** **Chapter 6: Infraction** **VI**

"K-Kuhn!"

Hugging his former guildmaster in a display of brotherly affection, Silabus looked up at Kuhn, an enormous smile on his face. "It's great to see you again! I missed you so much! What's been going on since you left Canard?"

Kuhn laughed, patting Silabus on the head. "Well, it's been pretty rough. I have to admit, it's great to see you again too. I take it things have been going good in Canard lately? You passed on your leadership to Haseo, right?"

"Y-yeah," Silabus said, quickly letting go of his friend. "I, um... maybe I should've asked you before I-"

"No, that's alright," Kuhn insisted. "Haseo's a good person. He doesn't show it, but he really is. And... speaking of Haseo..."

Silabus tilted his head. "Is this about the arena match?"

"...Yeah." Kuhn looked displeased. "...Silabus, is it true that you could see the outline of some kind of monster around Endrance? And is it true that Haseo talked to himself regarding something from the Epitaph of Twilight while he was watching the match?"

Silabus nodded. "Both of those are true. But... why are you asking me, Kuhn?"

"...Because this isn't a good thing," Kuhn said. "Whatever you do, you have to keep this secret... from everyone. And I mean _everyone_. You can't let anyone else from my guild know anything about your having seen it. It's supposed to be top-secret, confidential, all that crap... the fact that you saw it may have resulted in your being silenced by the guildmaster of my guild."

"Silenced?" Silabus repeated. "You don't mean..."

"Killed and sealed," Kuhn replied. "Your physical body would be destroyed and your spirit sealed away completely. You wouldn't be able to return to this world... they'll go to those kinds of measures in order to keep you silent. It's cruel, but that's how secretive these people are."

"Kuhn..." Silabus began shaking, holding onto the older man for comfort. "Kuhn, I... I'm sorry! I should've just... just kept my mouth shut..."

Attempting to soothe his subordinate, Kuhn hugged Silabus back. "...It's alright, Silabus. I'm not going to tell Yata or the rest of Raven. I'd rather give my own life than see you killed and sealed by the higher-ups. Trust me, if Yata ever found out, I'd be willing to give my responsibilities over to you if I were capable. And in turn, I'd sacrifice my own life... I couldn't bear to see you killed."

"Kuhn, that's..." Silabus was about to continue, but he heard the sound of footsteps. "...Haseo's here..."

"Well, it's not like I can keep it secret from you guys anymore," Kuhn said, reluctantly letting go of the still-frightened Silabus. "...It's kind of complicated, though... I'll explain to you when we get back to Canard."

Haseo scowled. "Well, looks like _you two_ are good friends."

"...Look, it's nothing like that," Kuhn stated, his tone serious. Haseo looked surprised as the gunman continued. "You know what happened at the arena? Well, Silabus saw Endrance's Avatar. Do you know what that means?"

"No, I don't," Haseo said.

Kuhn sighed. "...Well, basically it means that Silabus has to keep quiet and make sure no one knows what happened. Otherwise, he may suffer the same fate as Shino - permanently."

"Wow, your higher-ups are pretty strict," Haseo commented. "Hey, even if I don't owe anything to either of you, I'm not gonna let you experience what I have, Kuhn. So Silabus..." he glanced at the brown-haired swordsman. "...you keep your mouth shut. That's my order, as your superior."

Silabus flinched, nodding. "Y-yes, Haseo. I'll keep quiet about it..."

"...Well, in that case, let's head back to Canard," Kuhn said. "I'm sure Silabus will understand why it's confidential once he hears more about it."

**aba**

After Kuhn gave a run-over of the details to Silabus, he promptly left the structure along with Haseo. The Adept could feel the unease radiating from Kuhn's aura.

"...Look, I'm sorry about what happened, Kuhn."

"Don't worry, it's not your fault," Kuhn said. "I guess I should apologize for dragging you into this... family feud. Just... please be nice to Silabus. He's probably pretty devastated by this whole ordeal... and I care about him like a brother."

"Yeah," Haseo said, hanging his head. "...Hearing that, though... it kinda pisses me off. Are your superiors really that cruel... to just condemn a person to eternal sealing for one little thing?"

"I couldn't agree more," Kuhn said. "But it's not like I have a choice. They're the only ones that know anything about Avatars... they're the only people I can go to for help with my own problems."

Haseo turned back toward the doors. "...That Yata... I swear I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind for this rule. I don't care if I end up getting expelled or worse... I want him to know how I feel about this crap."

"Haseo..." Kuhn shook his head. "...I'm sorry. Just please... be careful. If you're gonna yell at Yata, it'll be just like defying your general in the military. You'll get reprimanded and maybe even executed..."

"...I don't care," Haseo repeated. "I'm going to tell Yata... right to his face... that someone outside your merry little band knows about the Epitaph Users."

Kuhn turned away. "...I see I'm not gonna convince you. But if Silabus is killed and sealed, I hope you realize that the blame will be placed on you for his loss. And if that happens... I won't be able to forgive you."

Snarling, Haseo walked into the only other base that he had access to from that set of doors. Kuhn hung his head, praying that Silabus would be spared.

**aba**

"Oh? What's this? A visitor at this hour?" Yata lifted his head, looking at the person who stood below him.

"'Visitor' my ass," came the irritated voice of Raven's latest member. "What the hell is with this crap about people getting killed and sealed for spreading the word about your little project, anyway!"

"...So, Kuhn told you," Yata said. "Well... even I have superiors. The government, the people ruling this country..."

Haseo scowled. "Why do you listen to them so readily? Don't you realize that it's hypocrisy? Because of that rule, one of my friends is in danger!"

"I know," Yata stated calmly. "...He is remaining silent. Therefore, I can spare him without defying the orders of my superiors."

"...Yata..." Haseo snarled, turning away. "...God knows what's going on in this world nowadays. But regardless, I'm not just gonna sit around and let this happen. It's just my thought, but I think it'd be better if _everyone_ knew. Because if they did, then fewer people would be in danger... they'd know not to challenge people who were infected or Epitaph Users... or even both." He thought back to the arena match, remembering how Endrance had mercilessly slaughtered those innocent people.

"I'm not going to disagree," Yata said. "However, at the same time... we could suffer the same punishment for defying our superiors. I agree that it's cruel, unnecessary and hypocritical... but at the moment, there's nothing we can do about it."

A smirk suddenly crossed Haseo's face. "Hey, Yata. If I enter the arena tournament, I might Awaken my own power, right? Do you know if there's any way not to keep it hidden from commoners?"

"You're not thinking of showing the people on purpose, are you?" Yata questioned.

"Hell yeah I am," Haseo replied. "I'm gonna make sure that everyone in this world knows... so that those stuck-up bastards running this place don't even have a say in the matter. I'm gonna broadcast the fact that I'm an Epitaph User."

Yata sighed. "...I suppose it is an option. No ordinary person can resist an Epitaph User... I'll keep that suggestion in mind."

"Fine, then I'll be off," Haseo said. "I'm worn out... and it's getting late anyhow. See you tomorrow, Yata."

Pondering Haseo's words, Yata made sure to keep quiet until the Adept had left. "...Hm... he's planning on showing off for the crowd. I understand he wants to eradicate those disgusting rules, but... he's taking a huge risk. We must be careful not to overstep our bounds..."

**aba**

The first thing Haseo did in the morning after getting himself ready was to head straight for where the members of Canard would gather. When he entered the small structure, he noticed that one other person he was familiar with had settled there for the moment.

"...Hey, you guys."

Atoli and Silabus looked up from their own conversation, while Gaspard immediately ran over and hugged Haseo. Aggravated by this, Haseo gently shoved the young dog-person off of himself, then turned to Silabus.

"Welcome, Haseo," Silabus said politely. "What brings you here so early?"

Haseo laughed. "I could probably ask the same of you. Anyway... I'm gonna be entering the next tournament in Lumina Cloth. I... well, it's kind of related to that thing I told you about yesterday..."

"Oh, that," Silabus said. "...Um, I wouldn't mind joining the tournament alongside you, but Gaspard..."

"I'm... scared of the arena," Gaspard insisted, shying away at the mere mention.

"Alright, then," Haseo said. "...How about Atoli? Can she participate? Will Moon Tree allow her to participate in the arena?"

Atoli nodded quickly, stepping forward. "Yes, of course we can participate in the arena. Just because we're pacifists doesn't mean we won't do anything to help people out when they decide to fight."

"...Huh, I get it," Haseo muttered. "So I guess I can go with you two, right? I was thinking of asking Kuhn, but I don't think it'd be a good idea..."

"Kuhn said something about entering the tournament himself," Silabus said. "Along with this lady named Pi... I guess it's part of their work."

"So Kuhn and Pi are going into the tournament too..." Haseo considered. "I guess that means I might have to fight them."

Silabus looked worried. "If you end up facing off against Kuhn, please... don't kill him, okay?"

"I won't," Haseo said. "My plan is to simply force them into submission, rather than outright killing them... since if I Awaken, attacking them might seal them."

"Awaken?" Gaspard questioned, curious.

"We'll tell you later," Silabus stated. "...Sorry, Haseo. I really shouldn't have said that, but..."

"No, it's fine," Haseo said. "Besides, by the end of this tournament, the whole world may know what's going on anyhow. Let's go and sign up for the tournament... Silabus, Atoli, I'm taking you two with me. Gaspard, you stay here and take care of the guild, alright?"

Gaspard nodded. "I'll do what I can. I can't guarantee I'll be as good as you, Haseo, but I'll try my best!"

"Thanks," Haseo said, turning and opening the doors. "Let's go."

**aba**

The process of getting ready for the tournament was rather tedious. By the time they had completed it, it was almost three in the afternoon. Haseo breathed a sigh, sitting down on a bench in the back alleys of the city and gazing out at the bright lights in the distance.

"...So this is gonna be my first arena match..."

Silabus sat near Haseo, glancing curiously at him. "Haseo, you're not nervous, are you?"

"Nervous?" Haseo crossed his arms. "...I guess you could say I'm a little nervous. But I'm looking forward to this tournament. It's gonna be so much fun, I bet."

"Don't let your guard down in the arena, okay?" Silabus said. "Just try not to get too worked up. And... don't kill anybody either."

"Yeah," Haseo agreed. "...It's getting to be that time, y'know. The time we first set foot in the arena..."

Silabus nodded. "Yeah, I'm a little nervous myself..."

"...I wonder where Atoli is," Haseo commented.

"She's probably sightseeing," Silabus suggested. "We all know what she likes to do."

Haseo closed his eyes. "...Yeah. That's probably what she's doing." He stood, turning toward the stairs. "Let's go back."

Though his nerves were on edge, Silabus stood as well and followed Haseo up the stairway. He noticed something different about the Adept, and curiously tilted his head at him.

"Oh, yeah." Haseo remembered what he had done while he was waiting. "Let's just say... I've strengthened my abilities. I can use another weapon, too."

"Oh, that's cool!" Silabus remarked. "That'll help out a lot, right?"

Haseo smirked. "Yeah, it probably will."

"...By the way, Haseo," Silabus said. "I'm not exactly new to arena battles, so I can give you a few pointers if you want."

"I'll be fine," Haseo insisted. "All I need is someone to cover my back out there. You and Atoli can do that."

Silabus laughed. "You're pretty resilient, Haseo. Anyway, let's get going, okay?"

Haseo nodded. "Yeah."

**abcba**

_Author's Note: I had a bit of a conundrum with this chapter. If I included the first round, it would be too long, but if I didn't, it would be too short. I decided on the latter, so I apologize for the excessively short chapter. Don't worry, the battle ring __**will**__ heat up next time, and Haseo's plot will begin to go into effect!_


	7. Awaken

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Well, hope this chapter lives up to expectations. I wanted to make Haseo's Awakening a lot more dramatic, but my inner muse had expired by the time I started writing. ;( Oh, well, you get to see some drama in the Tarvos battle as well._

_Disclaimer: I really don't own anything. I swear... okay?_

**VII** **Chapter 7: Awaken** **VII**

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's the first round of the Demon Palace Tournament! As you know, the last tournament ended in failure for the challenger... but the proud warriors of the arena will keep on going no matter how many grueling battles they must face!"

Haseo listened to the rambling of the arena commentator, snarling to himself. That guy tried to be a showoff... Stepping down, he awaited the teleporter claiming his senses. Sure enough, it did, and he soon stood between his two teammates, facing the opposite end of the arena.

"The newcomer, Team Haseo! Its leader was known as the 'Terror of Death', a person who hunted down those who killed for their own enjoyment. However, due to an unfortunate incident, his power has been forcefully stripped from him and he has to start anew! Let's welcome them!"

The loud cheering of the crowd was getting to Haseo. He scowled; the excitement really annoyed him, and the fact that the aforementioned 'unfortunate incident' had been exposed irked him even more. He watched and waited, listening to the drabble of the commentator.

"His teammates are Atoli of Moon Tree, and Silabus of Canard!"

Haseo closed off his ears for a moment. He perked up once again when he heard the opposing team mentioned, and received quite a shock when he heard their names.

"On the opposing side is Bordeaux, a member of the guild Kestrel. She's a fierce warrior and feared for the sheer number of people she's ruthlessly killed on the battlefield. Today she sides with her friends, fellow Kestrel members Negimaru and Grein, who also seek revenge against the 'Terror of Death'."

"Bordeaux..." Haseo growled. "...It's you."

"Oh, I remember you," Bordeaux said, a broad grin on her face. "You're the fledgling hunter that killed me way back when. Well guess what? I came through the Cycle just fine, and now I'm back and better than ever. Hahaha! Just you try and defeat me! You're weak now. You stand no chance!"

Haseo sighed. "...Man, she hasn't changed a bit..." He drew his broadsword, waiting for the signal before charging forward to attack first.

He found himself clashing with Bordeaux's sword. He tried to push her back, but was pushed back himself and thrown against the arena wall.

"Oh, look, if it isn't the girl," Bordeaux said as she rushed toward Atoli. "I remember... I almost killed you when I got beaten up by Haseo. Oh, that's a memory I'll never forget..."

Atoli held her staff up to defend against Bordeaux's attack. "I'm not going to give in to you, you... murderer!"

She soon realized, however, that Bordeaux was too strong for her to defend against. The Cleric was thrown against the arena wall as well, leaving Silabus to defend the two.

"I haven't seen you before," Bordeaux commented, looking at Silabus. "Hmm... you're a cute boy. I bet _your_ head would be a beautiful trophy to take home and keep for myself!"

Silabus backed away, frightened by Bordeaux's advances. "...Haseo, please, wake up... you can't be down and out this fast..."

"It's pointless," Bordeaux said, laughing. "He's out cold. Now just let me kill you in peace... so that I can move on and fight a more worthy opponent than you wimps."

She came upon the sudden realization that something wasn't right. Glancing over at where Haseo had fallen, she expected to see him unconscious. However, Haseo apparently had other ideas.

"...Damn you..."

The boy's voice was nothing but a low growl. He stood up, a feral glare in his eyes, which Bordeaux could swear were glowing. He fell back unexpectedly, and Bordeaux took the opportunity to charge and attack.

Her sword deflected off of the crimson markings that had begun to show up on Haseo's skin.

_...If I lose here... I won't be able to... do anything..._

He was thrust into a world of darkness. It was as if he had been knocked out... but the pain was _very_ real. It was agonizing, excruciating, yet strangely enjoyable. His physical form showed signs of injury from the spirit force trying to shove its way out of him... his skin cracked, and he began bleeding from the open wounds. He could feel something inside him, growing larger and larger by the second...

_What the hell is going on! Why can't I control myself! Why does it hurt so...!_

The thought snapped in his brain. _...That.. it's... it's here..._

His pain vanished, replaced by a feeling of unimaginable strength. The world around him shattered as a stone figure replaced his physical form. Its three eyes glared down menacingly at his opponents while it raised its hand and conjured a scythe from its spirit energy.

"...Skeith!"

Silabus stared up at the figure floating above him. It wasn't a mere shape like it had been with Endrance... he could see every bit of it, and instantly knew that the beast Haseo had called forth was the same one Kuhn had told him about. He shrank away from Haseo, hiding against the wall of the arena, glancing over at the still unconscious Atoli.

Haseo laughed gleefully, continuing to watch his shocked enemy. "See this? Do you all see this? Every single one of you! Do you see _this_!"

The audience began to fill with startled yelling. Gaspard looked up from his spot, his teeth chattering as he laid eyes on Haseo's new form. "I-is th-that r-really Ha-Ha-seo?"

"...Damn it, Haseo," Kuhn swore. "You fool... what the hell are you thinking! Showing your Avatar to everyone... that'll get us _all_ killed!"

Ignoring the shouts from the crowd, Haseo lowered his form until its spindly legs were almost touching what would've been the arena floor. "Glad you understand, everyone. Well then... I'm gonna finish this battle on my own!"

"H-Haseo...?" Atoli began to stir awake, but when she noticed her friend's new form, she quickly realized what had happened. "...Please, Haseo... I know you don't like Bordeaux, but... please don't kill her! If you do, then she might be the same as Shino..."

"...Atoli..." The voice immediately calmed Haseo, and he was able to recall his Avatar. He glared at Bordeaux one last time before walking over and standing by his teammates.

Bordeaux grimaced, looking up at the commentator's booth. "...I quit! This guy's tough! There's no way in hell I'm gonna win against _that_ thing!"

Before the response could come, she had already left, along with her two teammates. Haseo breathed a heavy sigh, then collapsed on the arena floor.

"Haseo, are you okay?" Silabus inquired, rushing to his leader. "...You're bleeding all over. Atoli, can you heal him?"

Atoli nodded, stepping forward. "...Yes, of course. I'll go ahead and heal him now..."

While she healed Haseo, the commentator's ranting once again filled the ears of the three teammates. However, they ignored it this time. It had been their victory, fair and square, and just for once, Haseo agreed with Atoli.

No matter how much he hated Bordeaux, sealing her wouldn't do any good.

"...Thanks, Atoli," Haseo said, looking up at his friend. "...You stopped me."

Atoli simply smiled, helping the boy up and then hugging him. "You did great, Haseo! I'm so glad you were able to control yourself..."

"If it weren't for you, I would never have stopped the attack," Haseo remarked, hugging her back. "I'm glad I brought you along."

"...I feel like I should thank _you_, Haseo," Atoli said, closing her eyes. "It's so nice to have a friend..."

He blushed, realizing that she was leaning closer to him. She was getting a bit too comfortable with him... but he didn't really mind it. He hugged her tighter, allowing her to savor the feeling of being in his arms for a moment longer before letting go of her.

Had their bond really grown that strong in the short amount of time they'd known each other...?

"I'm sorry, Haseo," Atoli said suddenly, blushing and looking away.

He shook his head in response, smiling. "Nah. It's fine."

"It is? Really?"

"Yeah. It really is."

"Then... can I hug you again?"

"Maybe once we get out of here."

She giggled. "You haven't changed a bit, Haseo."

As Haseo turned to leave the arena's battle ring, he was finally able to ignore the annoying sensation of teleporting. He had a warm smile on his face, congratulating himself on winning the fight as well as everything that had happened afterwards.

He had to admit, he really liked Atoli...

**aba**

Haseo allowed his Avatar to dissipate, feeling that same wave of strength flowing through him as with the past two AIDA. As his feet touched the ground, he looked at his pink-haired teammate.

"So, is that good enough for ya?"

Pi looked displeased. "...You're getting stronger, but your control over your Avatar is still weak. If you hadn't been called by the young lady when you Awakened..."

As he always did, Haseo scowled and turned away. "...Oh really now."

"Yes, really," Pi insisted. "...For safety's sake, I'm going to take on the last one with mine."

"...Huh, now which one was that again?" Haseo's tone was of mock confusion. "Wasn't that Tarvos? Well, like I care. I'll take that AIDA out by myself."

"No, you won't," Pi stated. "Yata's orders."

She looked away, thinking. _Then again, I suppose he did defy Yata's orders once already... what was he thinking, showing his Avatar to the whole arena? That's no small amount of people..._

"Fine, fine," Haseo said. "But if you get infected and I have to clean up your mess..."

"...I won't," Pi said. "Now let's just go already before the AIDA spreads."

Haseo continued to scowl as he walked down the hallway of the abandoned temple. There were a number of areas like this that had been infested by monsters... these places usually weren't hard to get to.

He was made aware of a presence, and a very disturbing one at that... an aura which he recognized. He listened to the AIDA as it approached.

"Hey, you. There's one here."

Pi lifted her head, but it was too late. A somewhat gelatinous black blob moved toward her, quickly absorbing itself into her body. She struggled against the attack for a while, but was unable to resist its persistent assault on her spirit.

"...Haseo!"

Haseo blinked, turning to face Pi. "What's wrong? I thought you were gonna fight the last AIDA by yourself. Did you get distracted?"

"Don't... just... stand... there!" the female Epitaph User choked out, trying to suppress her Avatar. "...Call Kuhn... he can... remove the AIDA... and..."

"So you're asking me to run away?" Haseo said. "No can do, sorry. Not like there's any time left anyhow... even if I called him right this second, he wouldn't make it in time. I'm taking that AIDA out by myself!"

He closed his eyes, focusing, willing the Avatar to come forth.

"_Okay, now... come on! I'm right here!_"

Pi was no longer able to suppress her Avatar. The massive, winged entity came forth, shattering the world around them. Haseo summoned his own at the same time, quickly raising his hand and summoning the Avatar's scythe.

"...This time, I'll save you!"

Tarvos' limbs were bound; however, it wasn't short of its fair share of attacks. A number of arrow-like projectiles shot from each wing, homing in on Skeith and threatening to shred the less-awakened Avatar. However, Skeith slashed the missiles away and responded with a number of shots from its left hand.

The attack left Tarvos stunned. Haseo took the initiative to attack, slashing at Tarvos a few times before realizing that it was about to counterattack. The AIDA-controlled Avatar responded to Skeith's closeness by impaling it on the spike running it through.

Haseo flinched. "...Damn...!"

He realized that he was bleeding where the wound had been inflicted. It was a serious wound - he wouldn't survive for long if he didn't find some means of healing himself. In an act of desperation, he called out Skeith's spirit-draining ability to envelop Tarvos' left wing.

Feeling the wound close, he breathed a sigh of relief. However, the pain was still there, a lingering reminder of his stupidity.

"...I can't believe I let myself get that close..." Haseo muttered to himself, drifting back so that he could launch another projectile attack. The second Tarvos stopped moving, he charged forward to attack again.

However, he found his scythe colliding with an impenetrable shield. Tarvos had used its wings to form the shield, and he couldn't find any means of breaking it. He fell back once again, noticing the pain in his stomach increasing.

"...This is... not good... I didn't think that... this would be so... tough..."

_If I don't come out of this alive, I could get sealed... just like Shino..._

With renewed motivation, Haseo charged once again, bringing Skeith's scythe down in between the two wings and forcing them apart. He berated himself for having not thought of that obvious way out before. Tarvos flinched, stunned again, as Haseo slashed it repeatedly with Skeith's weapon.

The protective barrier surrounding the Avatar broke; Haseo, hearing the telltale sound, raised Skeith's right arm. Once again, the spirit-draining tendrils wrapped around Tarvos, this time cleansing the AIDA from its body. However, the Avatar was also weakened, and its User was forced to recall it.

Haseo recalled his own Avatar, but saw that Pi was unconscious on the ground. He rushed to her aid, noticing that her body was unaffected.

_Oh, thank God... she might be recoverable._

"...Pi, are you okay?"

The only response he received was the sound of her breathing. He tried it again. "...Wake up, Pi."

Again, no response. He wracked his brain for something that might work... finally settling on something he remembered from the Raven base, he tried that out.

"...Saeki Reiko. If you do not wake up this _instant_-"

She snapped awake, glaring at him. "Don't you _dare_ call me by my real name, Haseo."

"Yes, ma'am," Haseo muttered, disgruntled. "Hey, I was worried about you. I thought you'd been sealed inside your own body."

"Stop being so irresponsible," Pi scolded. "Look at that wound in your stomach. If you'd been a little more reckless than you already were, you'd have..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know," Haseo grumbled. "Look, the point is we're both _alive_. Now let's get out of here so I can finish healing my wound."

Pi shook her head. "I'll do that for you."

"You sure? Even after I called you by your _real name_?"

"I appreciate... the fact that you did it to wake me up," Pi stated. "Anyway, I'll heal your wound, and then we can head back to Mac Anu."

Haseo nodded. "Fine by me. I'm not sure I can stand hanging around you for any longer."

"...Even after all that's happened, you have the nerve to say that?" Pi complained as she started applying healing magic to Haseo's wound. "You're a stubborn brat, not fit to be an Epitaph User. I'm not sure what Skeith was thinking when he chose you..."

Haseo remained silent for a few minutes, not wanting to aggravate Pi further. When she finished healing his wound, he stood up and began to walk out. "Alright, then. I guess I'll see you when I get back."

"See you, Haseo," Pi said quietly.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yeah, two fights in one. Haseo plays the showoff and threatens to get all of G.U. in trouble... and Atoli stops him. XD I know this chapter didn't really make up for last one's shortness, but at least there was SOME drama, and a little bit of last-minute fluff. ;P_


	8. Moonlit

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Second round of the Demon Palace is coming up in this chapter. The fight itself is a little short, but I couldn't really think of where to go with it. And yes, I know Matsu's title was revealed AFTER he drew his broadsword in the games - don't ask me if I've played the game please, I'm on my 7th playthrough. K? XD_

_Also, be warned, there's a bit of a sexual reference at the end of the chapter._

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything here. It all belongs to Bamcai... crap, I said it wrong again. Bandai Namco. Yeah, that's it. Either way, I don't own anything. I swear._

**VIII** **Chapter 8: Moonlit VIII**

Breathing a sigh, the Adept walked toward where Canard was stationed. Opening the doors to the building, he looked inside... and before he knew it, a short, overweight dog-person was latched onto him.

"Haseo! I'm so happy to see you again! I saw your arena match, and you were amazing!"

Haseo laughed, gently pushing Gaspard away. "Are you sure you wanna say that? Didn't I scare the crap out of you when I summoned my Avatar?"

"Y-yeah, but... uh..." Gaspard hung his head. "Well, it was still pretty cool. I mean, you made that woman from Kestrel high-tail it outta there! You're so cool, Haseo!"

"Gee, thanks," Haseo muttered, walking past Gaspard and waving to Silabus, who was lounging on the steps. "Hey there."

"Hello, Haseo!" Silabus said, waving back. "I was honestly pretty scared when you summoned that Avatar, but I knew you were on my side, so I didn't worry."

"Yeah, well," Haseo said. "I was pretty scared myself. It sucks not being in control of your own body."

"Oh, yes, that's right!" Silabus suddenly exclaimed. "...Haseo, Atoli wants to talk to you in private..."

"Alright, then," Haseo agreed, stepping outside again. "See you later. I'll talk to Atoli. Silabus, Gaspard, you two can manage the guild while I'm away, right?"

The two nodded quickly. Haseo frowned, closing the doors. "...Wonder what it is she wants to talk to me about..."

**aba**

"Haseo, are you there?"

He heard the voice almost as soon as he set foot in the field. Right in front of him stood Atoli, a concerned look on her face.

"Yeah, I'm here," Haseo replied. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Atoli looked down. "Well... the next opponent for the tournament is... Moon Tree's 7th unit leader, Matsu. I'm not sure I want to go up against him, to be honest... he's really strong, and he's a close friend of Sakaki's..."

"Matsu, huh," Haseo pondered. "What kind of person is he?"

"...Well... I'm surprised he was able to join Moon Tree in the first place. He's a violent person by nature, always taking out his aggressions on others... Sakaki reformed him, but he still has problems keeping his rage in check. Which is why... I really don't want to fight him..."

"If you want, I can ask someone else," Haseo suggested. "You don't have to come to the tournament if you don't want to."

Atoli shook her head. "No, it's... it's not that, it's just... I'm scared... Haseo... when the time comes for the match, could you please protect me?"

"...Protect you?" Haseo hung his head. "...I guess I could... protect you..."

"I mean, it'd be bad if you had to summon your Avatar, but... at the same time, I don't want to die anymore..."

Haseo seemed to understand; he gently put his arms around Atoli, hugging her close. "...I'll protect you, then. You've been through a lot of crap in your life, and... well, I'm worried about you."

"...thank you so much, Haseo," Atoli said, returning his hug only briefly. She then let go of him and turned around. "Well, would you like to go fight some monsters? Or did you have another idea in mind?"

"Well, that sounds good to me," Haseo agreed. "I'm all for it. Anything here that's a bit tough?"

Atoli giggled. "You still haven't changed, Haseo... yes, I chose this place specifically because the monsters were a lot stronger than the ones we've been fighting. I thought that you'd like it here..."

"Thanks for being so considerate, Atoli," Haseo said. "Although, you really didn't have to..."

**aba**

The two journeyed for a while, fighting monsters and occasionally stopping to rest. When Haseo finally decided it was time to head back, it was already nighttime, and Atoli was exhausted. Haseo offered to take her back home, but she politely declined, saying that she would rather stay at his place.

By the time they'd made it back to Haseo's house, Atoli decided it would be better to simply collapse on the sofa rather than bother setting up a place on the floor for her to sleep. Haseo thought the sight was amusing; he watched her for a time, making sure she fell asleep, then headed back up to his own room to rest. He realized too late that he hadn't eaten anything since that afternoon.

As a result, the next morning, he was ravenous. Charging down the stairs and waking up Atoli in the process, Haseo wound up eating three servings of food rather than just one, like he usually did. Atoli was surprised to see Haseo eating so much, and when she questioned him on the subject, he explained that the previous day had ended in a lack of dinner.

Atoli suggested that next time, they should bring their own food. Haseo quickly agreed to that.

By the time they'd exited the house, it was almost two in the afternoon. Atoli remembered that the second round of the tournament was supposed to take place at three, so she hurried off. Naturally, Haseo followed her.

The aura about the arena city was understandably different. Haseo felt several eyes on him as he walked through the bustling streets; most of them were the eyes of people who had seen the Avatar, and the rest were those who had heard about it.

Haseo confidently strode up to the arena counter. "Yeah, I'm going to participate in the second round of the Demon Palace- hey, what's with that look? Yeah, I summoned a huge demon out of nowhere and showed it off to everyone in the arena. So what? Does that mean I'm disqualified?"

The young woman at the arena counter shook her head. "No, you're not disqualified, but..."

"But what?" Haseo snarled. "I'm the Terror of Death, I do what I want. Got it?"

She chose not to speak anymore, simply allowing Haseo to sign up. He turned, finding himself facing his two teammates. "Hey, you two. Let's go. The match is gonna start soon."

"You sholdn't have been so rude," Silabus said. "...I'm sorry about my companion's behavior. He has a tendency to snap at people easily."

"Oh, no, that's fine!" the counter lady said, nodding. "I was just worried he was going to kill me or something."

Haseo waved back at Atoli and Silabus. "C'mon!"

"Y-yes," Atoli said, following him. Silabus noticed the nervousness in her aura and felt a pang of sympathy for her.

**aba**

"The time has come for the second round of the Demon Palace Tournament! The crowd cheers on the new competitor, Team Haseo, as they enter the arena's battle ring!"

Haseo looked around, knowing that almost everyone who was attending today's match had seen his Avatar in person. He wondered what kind of trouble he'd get into for that...

The arena commentator continued his rambling. "In the first round, Haseo forced his enemy Bordeaux into submission by summoning a large fighting beast out of virtually nowhere! I'm sure the crowds at the arena respect him deeply, perhaps even fear him... what lies in store for today's match?"

"Welcome!" a blue-haired boy standing next to the commentator called, waving. "My name's Zelkova, and I'm going to be providing commentary for today! Today's challenger is..."

"Matsu, the Flame Sword Demon!" the arena commentator finished. "Though his title bears strength and determination like no one else, he's still a member of the Moon Tree guild. Lord Zelkova, what do you think Matsu will do if he's faced with Haseo's fighting beast?"

"Matsu may be strong, but Haseo seems a lot stronger," Zelkova replied. "It's really hard for me to decide who to root for! Although, I'm sure if Haseo summons his fighting beast, then he'll have no trouble at all achieving dominance."

The commentator nodded quickly. "...Alright, then. The crowd is getting impatient! Let the match begin!"

Haseo drew his broadsword, making the first move. Matsu sidestepped Haseo's reckless attack and drew a bayonet, aiming the rifle at his foe. Unable to dodge the blow, Haseo was knocked back... Silabus and Atoli were distracted by Matsu's teammates, leaving Haseo to fend for himself.

"So, whaddya think now, 'Terror of Death'?" Matsu remarked, aiming his gun for another shot. "I'm gonna beat you to a pulp, fair and square! I don't know if that fighting beast in the first round was real or not, but it doesn't matter to me!"

Haseo deflected the bullet and clashed with Matsu's bayonet. "Yeah, right! You think you can beat me? Honestly? Gimme a break!"

"Uh-huh," Matsu said, breaking the clash and leaping back. "Hm... you're pretty strong, I'll give you that. But are you strong enough to handle this?"

He stowed the rifle, swapping it out for a battered, flame-red broadsword. Haseo was surprised; he hadn't been expecting _that_ development.

"Matsu hates to use his broadsword," Zelkova said. "At least, he hates to use it against weaker enemies. When he starts fighting for real... _that's_ when he'll use his broadsword."

"So he's an Adept, just like me," Haseo commented to himself. "Well then... I guess this means I'm gonna have to go tougher on him!"

He clashed with Matsu, the blades edging his own broadsword beginning to rotate. Matsu smirked and jumped back, bringing his sword down to create a powerful shockwave which knocked Haseo down. Struggling to get back up, the black-clad Adept grimaced. How many brushes with death had he experienced in just the past few days...?

Before he could fall unconscious, though, he felt his strength returning. Scrambling to his feet, Haseo charged once again at Matsu. This time, the clash ended in a clear show of dominance by Haseo; he knocked down his opponent, laying the edge of his broadsword near Matsu's throat.

"...So? You had enough?"

"I give," Matsu said. "It was an awfully short fight for my tastes, but eh! It was fun for a while."

Haseo looked suspicious. "Why are you forfeiting the match so quickly?"

"Believe it or not, I have better things to do than fight people like you," Matsu said in response. "And besides, it's pretty obvious to anyone that if that fighting beast thing was real, you could beat me to a pulp in two seconds flat if you really wanted to. I'm leaving for today, and good luck with the rest of your tournament."

Matsu left, leaving the arena commentator to stare in absolute shock at the rapid forfeit. "I'm not sure I heard that right... Matsu gave up, against the 'Terror of Death'? Well, it's understandable that someone would give up so quickly if they'd seen the fighting beast itself... now _that_ was a frightening sight indeed!"

"Yeah, it surprises me too!" Zelkova agreed. "But you do have a point about the fighting beast... I don't think Matsu can do something like that. It was still an amazing fight, nonetheless! I'm disappointed that Matsu lost, but I'm glad that Haseo won!"

"Spoken like a true guildmaster!" the arena commentator said. "So, Lord Zelkova, tell me what you think of Haseo's techniques!"

Zelkova grinned. "He has an awesome technique all his own! He's a little reckless, but this victory alone is proof that he's not as weak as he looks!"

Choosing to ignore the bantering between the two, Haseo turned to his two teammates. "So, whaddya know? We won after all. Pretty lame match, but I don't care. I get to move on and that's what matters."

"You didn't use it this time," Silabus commented. "I bet that takes a lot of self-control!"

"Yeah, it sure as hell did," Haseo said with a nod. "...Well, let's head back. We've all got some training to do before the next match."

**aba**

Pi paced impatiently, a scowl on her face. "Ever since Haseo showed off his Avatar to the rest of the world, I've been hearing a lot about the 'fighting beast' that he used. Everyone in the arena seems impressed, but..."

"Don't be concerned about Haseo's desire to show off," Yata said. "I'm fairly certain that if the higher-ups attempted to assault us at this point, we'd be very capable of defending ourselves. They're well aware of this fact, which is why they stand down. There are only a few government officials, but the people who have heard of this incident that side with G.U. number in the hundreds of millions."

"Still... Master Yata, why didn't you do anything to stop Haseo?"

Yata smirked. "He wants to put an end to a rule that has been troubling me as of late. I'm on his side in regards to this issue."

"...I see," Pi said. "I apologize if I sounded as if I didn't agree with you..."

"Again, it's alright," Yata said. "Don't be too concerned."

"...By the way, Master Yata," Pi stated. "Where has Kuhn been as of late? He doesn't seem to be too interested in attending G.U. meetings."

"Well, I _did_ overhear him talking to a member of Canard..." Yata replied. "...He said that he wanted to have a child with Mira. So I presume that he's-"

"I get it!" Pi interrupted. "...So, Kuhn's trying to have a child... doesn't he realize that it's a huge responsibility he can't handle at the moment? Aside from the fact that he'd make a horrible father..."

"Please, try to calm down," Yata said. "...I'll admit that Kuhn does take life too lightly, but consider the fact that he may very well have to Cycle or even be sealed before all this is over. Do you understand what that means? He's concerned about that possibility. He wants a child to carry on his family name in the case that something _does_ happen."

Pi hung her head. "...I'm still worried about him. I don't want him to have to balance the responsibilities of being a father and being a member of G.U. For someone who's as carefree as he is... I'm afraid that may be too much."

"He'll be fine," Yata said. "Don't worry about Kuhn. I'm certain he understands that it will be difficult. As for what you said about Kuhn being a 'horrible' father... I sincerely doubt that. In spite of his... philandering, he would probably be able to give the child the proper education to avoid the scourge of all parents..."

"What do you mean by that?" Pi inquired.

Yata sighed. "...Teenage pregnancy."

"Oh... I see..." Pi muttered, turning. "If you don't mind, I'll take my leave now. By the way, Master Yata... I certainly hope you don't enjoy using the Serpent of Lore specifically to spy on Kuhn and Mira when they're having their... nighttime romps."

"Of course not," Yata said calmly. Even if he was lying, Pi would have no way of telling.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: The one thing I love about Yata is that he can be a dirty old man and a perverted teenager at the same time. Because of that, he can be quite an amusing character to work with. XD_

_Next chapter, we'll see Alkaid for the first time... in a tournament battle!_


	9. Determination

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: I feel as if I'm putting up the chapters waaaaaaaay too fast for the readers to keep up. To everyone who's read this story, I'm dreadfully sorry for the rapid updates; it's just, inspiration is like gunfire for me. -sigh- Again, I'm sorry._

_Anyway, this is gonna be the last update before I stop pumping out updates like a machine gun. There's a bit of drama and action in it, so hope you enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I do not own .hack/ or Bandai Namco._

**IX** **Chapter 9: Determination** **IX**

The night before the semi-finals, Atoli had, once again, decided to room with Haseo for the night. More often than not, she would drive herself to a point where she was too tired to return home. Her biggest fear upon returning home would be if her parents found out she'd been rooming with a boy. Still, though, Atoli swore to herself that she would return to her house in Moon Tree and pay a visit to her parents and her pets.

This night, however, she was rooming with him because she wanted to. She was too nervous to sleep anyhow...

Sitting up on the sofa which she normally slept on, she stood and walked out the door. She headed out, planning to return home so that she could fulfill her promise.

Predictably, the welcome from her parents wasn't particularly warm. After explaining the situation, she was virtually kicked out. Her parents agreed to send her pets with her when she left the house, though.

When Atoli got back to Haseo's house, she took one look at the time and promptly collapsed on the sofa. The next morning, she was awoken by something cold and wet pressing curiously against her hand.

"H-huh?"

She opened her eyes slightly, looking down. There was a rather sizable puppy sitting beside her bed, a doggie grin on his face.

"Ren..." Atoli said quietly, patting the dog on top of his head. "I missed you so much. I'm glad that you came back..."

She perked her ears, hearing Haseo coming down the stairs. He was immediately assaulted by the dog, who seemed to already be rather fond of him.

"H-hey! Down, boy!"

Reluctantly, Ren sat down on the floor, still wagging his tail. Haseo laughed slightly, then walked over to where Atoli was trying to get up.

"G'morning. I see your pets came over for a visit."

"Pets...?" Atoli repeated, confused.

Haseo nodded. "Yeah. Your birds and your dog. I'm not gonna complain as long as you take care of them."

"...oh, hehe..." Atoli smiled. "Don't worry, I'll take care of them... by the way, Haseo... I think I'm officially living with you now..."

He blinked, shocked by this statement. "...Wait, did you get kicked out?"

"Y-yes," Atoli replied sullenly. "My parents... didn't approve of the fact that I had been sleeping over at a boy's house. I told them we weren't in a relationship, but they didn't listen..."

"Huh... well, that's stupid," Haseo muttered. "I guess you can stay over at my place for a while. It's not like half the space here is used, plus the company's nice..."

"...Are you sure you'll have the space to fit Ren?" Atoli inquired. "I mean, he's going to be a really big dog when he grows up..."

"I hope you won't have to stay that long," Haseo said.

"Oh, but it's so nice rooming with you," Atoli said with false distaste. "I'm going to go make us some breakfast, okay? The tournament match is at three o'clock sharp, so we'll have to be ready by then."

Haseo tilted his head. "Are you sure your dog isn't gonna destroy everything while we're gone?"

"No, he's actually rather laid-back," Atoli said. "He never got destructive at my place."

"I guess I'll trust him for now," Haseo said, shrugging and walking toward the kitchen. "...And while you're at it, could you make the coffee extra-strong? I didn't get much sleep last night..."

Atoli giggled. "Oh, of course I can do that, Haseo!"

**aba**

_Alkaid, huh... so she's gonna be our opponent for the semi-finals._

Haseo looked over the tournament bracket for a moment before signing up for the match. It was still early, so he had some time to sightsee.

Turning to his companion, who had stubbornly accompanied him, he said, "Hey, Atoli, we're going up against a former Emperor. Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"Yes, of course," Atoli replied. "Alkaid might be strong, but I have faith in you and your abilities. Just try not to get too worked up, okay? You don't want anyone to get killed..."

Haseo nodded slightly, not paying attention to the last part. He stepped away from the counter, sitting on the railing.

"Is something wrong, Haseo?"

"Well..." Haseo sighed, his eyes wandering. "...I'm not sure what to think about this. I mean... yeah, I have to win, but you have a point when it comes to not killing her. How the hell am I gonna balance those two things? I've always heard that Alkaid is persistent and doesn't give up no matter how badly she's beaten..."

Atoli hung her head. "...Whatever you do, Haseo, please... don't use the Avatar."

"I can't make any promises," Haseo said. "But I'll try to beat her without using it."

"...Before, I would've expected you to say that you were just going to beat her," Atoli said. "But now... look at how much you've changed. And so quickly, too... why is that?"

Haseo shrugged. "Hell if I know. I didn't know I was any different."

"Well, if you'd like, we can go sightsee for a bit," Atoli suggested, smiling. "You need to calm down before the match..."

He responded by standing and walking off. Confused, Atoli began to follow him... by the time she caught up, he had already gone to the back alley. He was glaring at an unresponsive Endrance.

"Hey, you."

"...I've no interest in people like you," Endrance stated, turning away. "You won't defeat Alkaid today... you're too weak."

"Weak?" Haseo restrained his laughter. "Yeah, as if! I'm gonna beat her fair and square!"

Endrance shook his head. "...Alkaid... is very strong. Without using the power of the Avatar, you've no chance against her..."

"...Alright, that's it," Haseo growled. "I told you I was gonna beat her fair and square... without using my Avatar!"

"...Give it your best..." Endrance said, walking off calmly. Haseo scowled, his eyes dead-set on the Emperor.

"Haseo?" Atoli decided that now would be the best time to interfere. "...You're only so collected when you're around me..."

"Yeah? So?"

"...I've been wondering lately," Atoli said. "...How you feel about me..."

"_The semi-finals of the arena tournament are beginning in 15 minutes. Those who are participating, please step up to the counter._"

Haseo suddenly developed a strong interest in his left foot. Atoli looked at him confusedly as he walked off, but then quickly followed him. There was no way he was going to say anything on that subject right now anyhow...

**aba**

"Today, we'll be watching the semi-finals of the Demon Palace tournament! Let's all welcome the new and fierce competitor, Team Haseo!"

Haseo seemed displeased as the crowd around him began to cheer. He was already angry with Endrance, and now he was determined to beat up that soulless prettyboy and put him in his place. Snarling lightly as he watched the teleporter on the opposite side activate, he paid no mind to the commentator's rabble, as usual.

"And on the other side, the fallen star, former Emperor Alkaid! She may have lost her title to Endrance before, but she's back with a vengeance! Team Haseo will have a tough time on their hands!"

The somewhat short, red-haired girl had a broad smirk on her face. "So you're the 'Terror of Death'! Looks like you've been forgetting to keep up with your training lately!"

"...Are you taunting me?" Haseo glared back at Alkaid. "Bring it on!"

The commentator could feel the heat building in the battle ring. Before the two opposing teams could launch themselves at each other, he called for the match to start. Sure enough, both sides took their battle stances, Alkaid with golden, knife-like dual swords, and Haseo with his multi-bladed broadsword.

The swift ex-Emperor made her move first. Haseo was forced to block himself from a barrage of attacks, remembering how he himself had fought with this type of weapon. He wracked his brain for a counterattack technique, but was unable to accomplish his goal before being knocked back by the furious dual wielder.

"Hey, you! The hell do you think you're doing! You're not even trying!"

Haseo flinched. Endrance was right... Dragging himself to his feet, he lifted the broadsword once again and charged, managing to clash with Alkaid's weapons before she shoved him back again. Skidding across the floor of the arena, Haseo realized that Alkaid's attacks were too quick and well thought out for him to even think of countering.

He knew he wouldn't be able to keep his promise to Atoli. He just knew it... the thought ate him out from inside. He was already on the verge of losing control... Alkaid was just too strong, and it seemed almost as if every one of her attacks was planned before the fight even began.

She _knew_ how to fight a reckless warrior like Haseo. That thought irritated him...

Fighting with his other half, Haseo struggled to keep his Avatar suppressed. His concentration was broken when the blades of Alkaid's swords bit into his flesh. He fell down, bleeding from a number of small wounds covering his body.

"...Damn... there's no way... I can't..."

He wasn't able to hold the immense wave of power back anymore. His thoughts turned to more sinister ones as he shouted, "You just led yourself to your own doom, you know that!"

The blood-red patterns appeared on his skin as the dark beast within him unleashed itself. Atoli tried calling out to Haseo, but to no avail. She stepped back, surprised that he wasn't even listening to _her_.

"Stand back, Atoli! This is between me and Alkaid!"

Alkaid looked up at the towering creature that had replaced Haseo's form. She considered forfeiting, but the memories of her defeat at Endrance's hands ran strong in her mind... Holding her dual swords in front of her in a guarding stance, she glared determinedly at Skeith.

Atoli felt helpless and defeated. She wanted to help Haseo, but he wouldn't listen to her... she realized too late that Haseo's Avatar had taken control of his spirit, and at this point he wouldn't listen to _anyone's_ commands. His Avatar had gone out of control.

Not hesitating in the slightest, Skeith brought down its scythe upon the unwavering Alkaid. She instantly collapsed, her spirit energy having been almost completely drained by that one attack. Satisfied at his victory, Haseo recalled his Avatar and glanced at Alkaid as he landed.

Atoli rushed to Alkaid's side, receiving a glare from Haseo in the process. She noticed that Alkaid was unconscious, but alive; as she turned away, she gave Haseo a glare of her own.

"...Atoli..."

"You didn't listen that time, did you? Now Alkaid might be sealed!"

Haseo hung his head. Atoli was angry with him... wasn't she? That thought destroyed him even more than having lied to her... he cursed his stupidity, his obsession with winning as Alkaid's body was warped out of the arena ring along with her two comrades.

His expression remained sullen as he exited the arena with his own teammates. Atoli looked away from him; for the first time since they'd met, she was truly angry with him.

"...Let's just wait and see what happens," Haseo said, his tone quiet and emotionless. "...Alkaid might still be okay..."

Atoli didn't respond. Haseo sighed, walking down the steps and glancing back at Atoli, who didn't follow. Silabus ran forward, stepping beside Haseo and trying to console him.

"It's okay. I'm sure she'll forgive you..."

"...Silabus..." Haseo's voice was dull, almost as if he'd lost his soul. He tried to keep himself from pushing away the older Blade wielder, continuing down the road to the gate.

He understood Atoli's anger... and agreed with it. He hated himself for the events of the arena match... he had almost killed Alkaid just to win.

**aba**

The unexpected entrance of a blue-haired man startled Pi and Yata. Pi faced Kuhn, silently questioning why he had showed up so suddenly.

"...Haseo's losing it," the gunman said, a quantity of disappointment and anger sharpening his tone. "Did you see what happened at the last arena match? He attacked Alkaid with his Avatar! He doesn't realize it, but... that puts him on the same level as Endrance!"

"Kuhn, calm down," Yata ordered, but to no avail. He continued to speak, hoping that Kuhn would settle. "...You'll be facing him in the next round. Your team consists of two Epitaph Users, including yourself, and your wife, does it not? The combination of those three alone would be able to overpower Haseo... to the point where he would call out his Avatar in a berserk rage."

Kuhn glared up at Yata, his tone panicked. "Yeah? So? That'll just get all our asses kicked!"

"There's a difference, though," Yata said. "Your Avatar has a very useful ability... use it against Haseo's."

"You mean, Propagation?" Kuhn shook his head. "...To hell with that! I'm gonna kick Haseo out of the tournament if I have to-"

Pi stepped forward. "...Kuhn. Master Yata has a point. If you show Haseo just how dangerous an Avatar can be... then perhaps he will finally gain control over his recklessness."

"...Show him how dangerous an Avatar can be," Kuhn repeated. "...Yeah. I'll show him. He'll regret having set foot in the arena the second he faces me..."

Pi opened her mouth to speak, but Yata signaled for her silence. She looked away, wondering what Kuhn had meant by that.

**aba**

The tension between Haseo and Atoli had rapidly increased. Where normally Atoli would try and soothe Haseo out of his depression, she continued to scold him for his rash actions. He felt as if his spirit was getting eaten away slowly... his willpower was fading, and in turn his desire to keep participating in the tournament.

Remembering the bracket, he calculated that he'd be facing Kuhn in the next round. That gave him a sense of relief for a time when he realized that his last two opponents were Epitaph Users, just like him. He wouldn't be killing anyone else as long as he kept himself under control...

Atoli finally decided on completely ignoring Haseo. He sat on the sofa, his head down, absently scratching the back of Ren's neck.

"...I..."

Realizing that it was the first time he had spoken since the match, he looked over at Atoli, who was sulking in a corner. She stood, walking over to him. He could still feel the sharpness in her aura.

"...Atoli, I'm sorry."

He noticed the sharpness rapidly fading. She seemed to be a little less angry now... and it showed in her tone, which, for the first time in a while, didn't lash at him like a whip.

"That's what I've... been wanting to hear from you, Haseo."

"...You don't know... how much it hurts me," Haseo said quietly. "...Ever since you started yelling at me... I've been hurting inside... I've been feeling like... this is all my fault..."

"That's why... you wouldn't say anything..." Atoli nodded in comprehension. "...I didn't realize... that my words would hurt you so much... I'm sorry..."

"...hey, don't apologize... I understand you were angry with me... hell, I can't say I was too happy with myself. You were absolutely right in everything you said... I should've apologized sooner, but I couldn't... get the willpower to speak."

"I... I'm still sorry," Atoli insisted. "...It wasn't right of me to snap at you like that... you and I are friends, right? So... we should act like friends. We shouldn't fight..."

Haseo shook his head. "...We're friends, yeah. But that doesn't mean you can't help fix my problems. Next time I do something stupid, you can yell at me. I deserve it."

She noticed his tone didn't indicate the same feelings as his aura. He was happy for the first time since the match... was it because she forgave him? She wondered just how much she meant to him... why he was so sensitive around her. She turned, walking toward the kitchen.

"Are you hungry, Haseo? I'm going to prepare dinner, and I'd like to know what you want..."

When Haseo spoke, it sounded more lighthearted, as if he had calmed down. "Yeah... I'm starving. Anything's fine. Just make it quick, okay?"

Atoli kept her laughter to herself. "Of course I will!"

**abcba**

_Author's Note: I'm not sure about the interaction with Haseo and Atoli at the end of the chapter. There's a little bit of emotional flip-flopping there, and I'm not proud of my depiction of it._

_Next up, even more drama as Kuhn steps into the arena. And then... wait and read!_


	10. Mistake

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Well, here comes the next chapter. Haseo vs Kuhn, and a harrowing battle between their Avatars. (And by the way, there is NO yaoi intent in this fanfic - so all you het fans, breathe a collective sigh of relief. ;p There WILL be a lot of friendly hugging/comforting between guys, though, so try not to misinterpret it. XD)_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. NOTHING! So no suing, okay? D;_

**X** **Chapter 10: Mistake** **X**

The next morning was relatively normal... except for one thing. Atoli had decided to take up residence in Haseo's room, sleeping on the floor near his bed, and he found out the hard way when he almost stepped on her while getting out of bed. It didn't take long for them both to burst out laughing at Haseo's mistake; however, he soon apologized and headed downstairs.

As usual, Atoli prepared breakfast, then after eating at the table with Haseo, fed her pets and cleaned the birdcages. She was taking the dog out for a walk when she was intercepted by a cheerful Silabus.

"Hello, Atoli!"

The Cleric smiled and waved at her friend. "Good morning, Silabus. I didn't expect to see you here at this time..."

"Well, I wanted to come visit Haseo," Silabus said. "You got into an argument with him last night, didn't you?"

"We made up," Atoli said simply, still smiling. Silabus laughed and scratched the back of his neck.

However, before he could progress any further, he was tackled over by the dog Atoli was walking. Silabus was surprised when he received a thorough face-licking from Ren, struggling to push the rather large puppy off and laughing at the same time.

Once Silabus had managed to get back on his feet, he patted Ren on the head. "It seems like your dog is very friendly."

"He is," Atoli said. "Haseo found out the hard way... hehe..."

"He must be a great companion," Silabus commented. "...By the way, I wanted to inform you about the finals in the arena tournament. Kuhn is..."

"Yes, I understand," Atoli said. "You're nervous about facing Kuhn, aren't you? Well... to be honest, so am I..."

"I wonder how Haseo feels about it," Silabus pondered. "He doesn't usually show much emotion to his enemies, but I just simply can't imagine he'll be the same when it's someone he's friends with..."

"Yeah, you're right," Atoli agreed. "...May I please finish walking my dog? You can come along if you like..."

Silabus shook his head. "No, that's alright. You go on ahead. I want to talk to Haseo..."

"Okay," Atoli said, not understanding why Silabus suddenly acted so downtrodden. She knew that Silabus was close friends with Kuhn, but just _how_ close were they...?

**aba**

The conversation between Haseo and Silabus was brief and ended in Haseo getting aggravated again. Silabus left, knowing that talking to Haseo in that state would only get him more upset than he already was.

Until the arena match, things were relatively quiet. Atoli finished her daily chores, then headed to the arena city to make her preparations. She was surprised to find Silabus and Haseo arriving soon after; it was almost an hour before the finals, so why were they here already?

"Hey, Atoli." Haseo waved casually, not taking a second glance at Silabus. "You getting ready too?"

Atoli nodded. "Yes, I am. Why are you and Silabus here so early?"

"Well, truth be told, I wanted to settle my nerves a little before the match," Silabus said. "Haseo came along, even though he doesn't want anything to do with me..."

"...What happened between you two?" Atoli questioned.

"Well, we got into a fight," Silabus replied. "...A fight over how we were going to handle the tournament match."

"...Haseo," Atoli said sternly, glaring at him. Haseo sighed, turning away.

"...Silabus is getting too soft in regards to this whole arena battle crap. He's been considering not joining our team this time because he doesn't want to fight Kuhn. Doesn't he understand, though-"

Atoli cut him off. "Let him do what he wants. Besides, you shouldn't be so obsessed with winning anyhow."

Deciding not to start a fight with Atoli, Haseo remained silent. He walked up to the counter, placing his entry, then walking off somewhere.

"I wonder where Kuhn is," Silabus said, looking around the bustling city. "I hope that I can talk to him before the match..."

"I'm sure you'll be able to," Atoli reassured. "And... don't mind Haseo. He's been through a lot, and he..."

Silabus nodded. "I'm not holding it against him. I just... don't want him to hate me."

"He doesn't hate you, Silabus," Atoli said. "I think he's trying to consider your feelings even though he's angry with you. Things might get heated in the arena, and he knows that you won't be able to fight Kuhn head-on..."

"Yes, but he didn't indicate he wanted me to leave the team," Silabus said. "...He doesn't seem to care about my feelings at all..."

Atoli sighed. "He's been through a lot, okay? Please try not to get into any more fights with him. I'm sure he'll forgive you once the match is over..."

"...Yeah, you're right," Silabus agreed. "...I'm going to go look for Kuhn..."

"Good luck," Atoli said, waving to Silabus as he walked off.

She hung her head. _What happened to Haseo? Why is he so... irritable all of a sudden? What's wrong with him...?_

**aba**

The commentator's incessant rambling was unheard by the competitors. As Atoli and Silabus entered the arena, Atoli turned to her friend with a look of inquiry.

"I tried to find him," Silabus said. "But... I couldn't. Nothing I can do now..."

Atoli nodded in comprehension, looking past Haseo and at the other side of the arena.

"...and here comes the opposing team, Thunder Storm! Its leader, Kuhn, is a skilled gunman with ten years of experience behind him!"

"Ten years?" Haseo pondered. "You mean he's been shooting since he was 14? Man, I guess I underestimated him."

"His two teammates are Pi and Mira," the commentator continued. "It doesn't surprise the ladies in the crowd that Kuhn would bring two women along with him. But he's already married! Is he an unfaithful cheater, or are his advances intended as some sort of cruel joke to his wife?"

Silabus let out a small snicker at that comment. "Trust me, Commentator, I've known him for longer than you have. He was a flirt even before he got married."

The gunman on the opposing team looked at Silabus, speaking with a hint of concern in his voice. "I'm sorry, Silabus. I would've dropped out of the tournament so you didn't have to fight me, but I have a lesson to teach to a certain Adept friend of yours."

"What now?" Haseo growled, drawing his broadsword. "You're not gonna keep me from fighting Endrance, are you?"

Silabus sighed. "He's obsessed with winning. I hope you'll be alright, Kuhn..."

"I'll be fine," Kuhn insisted. "Now, Haseo." His tone turned sharp as he glanced at the younger warrior. "You nearly sealed Alkaid in the last match through the power of your one attack. She's lucky to be alive... she's still recovering in the infirmary... thanks to you."

Haseo snarled. "Whaddya mean? Why do I care about that stuck-up brat? She tried to kill me herself, I'll have you know!"

"You don't understand, Haseo," Kuhn said. "...You don't get it. You just don't get it!"

"It seems as if things are heating up between the two leaders," the commentator shouted. "Now, let the match begin!"

Kuhn made the first move; in a split second, he had drawn his bayonet, aimed it and fired it straight at Haseo. Before the Adept had time to react, he was knocked back by the force of a non-lethal bullet, flying into the arena wall and struggling to get back up. The moment he recovered, Haseo charged, swinging his broadsword at Kuhn.

He heard a squeal from elsewhere in the arena, and lost his focus for just a moment. Kuhn took the opportunity to kick Haseo in the stomach, sending him soaring across the battlefield again, and once again he slammed into the wall. Haseo groaned, trying to get back up, but failing. He looked over to see that the blades of Mira's scythe were hovering dangerously close to Atoli's neck.

_They're not holding back... I would've figured that Kuhn would be more willing to hold back in a fight against someone he considered a friend, but..._

"...Damn it... don't you dare kill her!" Haseo picked himself up, purely on instinct, but was knocked back when a fist collided with his chest... a _bladed_ fist. As he struggled to catch his breath, he noticed that Pi had attacked him.

"If you don't want her to die, why don't you save her yourself?" Mira taunted. Pi nodded, turning to Silabus and giving the same treatment to him that she had to Haseo.

The swordsman was unable to get back up. He had been knocked out cold, and Pi was standing over him with a menacing expression on her face. Finally catching his breath, Haseo realized that the blade of Pi's gauntlet had cut through his skin; it wasn't too deep, just enough to make him bleed.

"You..." Haseo's eyes began to glow; this time, he didn't try to hold it back. He was too enraged to care at this point. He knew that Kuhn had been the one who gave them those orders... and he also knew that this time, Kuhn would pay.

"...Here it comes," Kuhn stated, preparing himself. "...Just like I thought..."

The crimson markings pushed their way through Haseo's skin moments before his Avatar forced its way out of his body. Kuhn's expression turned grim as he ordered Mira and Pi to stand back.

"I'll handle this one."

Placing his hand over his chest, Kuhn closed his eyes. The familiar sensation of power swept through him as he calmly called it forth. Yellow patterns appeared on his body while he summoned his own Avatar.

"Come on! My... _Magus!_"

Haseo took the opportunity to charge the second Kuhn's Avatar came out. He was immediately deflected off of a green shield that Magus had put up using the leaves on its arms; Skeith flew back, shooting at the shield and attempting to break it.

"...You did that on purpose, telling your teammates to go after mine? You dirty...!"

Magus unleashed a barrage of spirit bullets upon Skeith, knocking it back only for a moment. Haseo let out a feral roar as he ordered Skeith forward again, this time crashing through the shield Magus had put up and slashing at its defenseless body.

"It was all I could do," Kuhn replied. "...All I could do... to make you understand. Besides, I know you... you'd do the same. After all, winning is more important than your friends, isn't it?"

Haseo growled in response, backing off and aiming Skeith's left arm at Magus once again. Swiftly, Kuhn ordered Magus to put up another shield before Skeith fired; his Avatar complied without hesitation, leaving Haseo to wonder just _how_ much control Kuhn had over Magus.

"...Damn it, Kuhn... you want to stop me from winning by picking off my teammates? You... you bastard!"

Kuhn's voice remained calm. "Haseo, you don't understand anything about this world. About the Avatars, or AIDA, or anything... you're driven by your reckless emotions. You should try listening to other people for once."

"...Kuhn!" Haseo roared, ordering Skeith to headbutt Magus' shield. The shield shattered in a matter of seconds, and Skeith began to attack Magus again. Kuhn could feel the emotions in Haseo's aura growing more and more sinister... he knew that soon, Haseo would lose control of his Avatar. He just had to hold out until then...

Haseo didn't notice the number of small seeds that Magus had summoned not long before he attacked. However, this time, he was forced to notice them. A massive explosion, caused by all of the seeds combusting at the same time, threw Skeith back, damaging it heavily.

He was so enraged at this point that he didn't notice his control over Skeith gradually slipping. The Avatar was going off on its own with the intention to kill.

"Haseo... now do you understand?" Kuhn spoke one last time before he felt Skeith's aura detach completely from Haseo's. "Now do you understand... why I did this?"

Haseo looked on, feeling the rage-fueled power that he possessed leaving his body entirely. He didn't realize just how helpless he felt without Skeith backing him... the Avatar had slipped out of his grasp, and it had taken him this long to understand what Kuhn had meant.

Skeith charged toward Magus, no longer suppressed by its user's emotion. The green-colored Avatar was quickly torn apart by Skeith's claws and scythe, while Haseo stood back and watched and listened powerlessly. Kuhn was screaming in pain, and he couldn't do anything to stop it...

Before the barrier surrounding Magus completely shattered, Kuhn mustered his strength one last time, ordering it to create a copy using its ability. The real Kuhn and Magus slowly drifted away as Skeith completely absorbed the copy and its spirit power.

Haseo didn't see any of this happening, however. He watched as the two Avatars dissipated; Magus had been destroyed entirely, and Skeith vanished back into its own world. Kuhn fell to the ground, bleeding from numerous cuts and scrapes on his body.

"...Kuhn..." Haseo ran forward, kneeling beside his companion. "...Kuhn, are you okay?"

Pi and Mira walked over to Kuhn, kneeling beside him as well. Mira began to administer first aid while Pi glared indignantly at Haseo.

"His spirit power could've been completely drained, had he not used Magus' ability."

"Completely drained?" Haseo questioned. "You mean... he'd vanish from existence?"

"Yes," Pi replied. "...Spirit and all. He literally wouldn't exist anymore. That's how dangerous a berserk Avatar is."

"But... he's still alive," Haseo pointed out.

Pi nodded. "Yes... that's because he used his Avatar's ability. You see, Magus has the ability to... create a copy of virtually anything, including itself. So it was that copy that Skeith destroyed and not Kuhn himself."

"It was extremely dangerous," Mira said. "But it was all he could do once you called out your Avatar."

"...damn it..." Haseo swore to himself, looking down at Kuhn's unconscious body. "...I'm sorry, Kuhn..."

Silabus had started to wake up; Atoli crawled out from her corner of the arena, immediately rushing to Silabus' aid. It didn't take long for the swordsman to heal, and as soon as his strength had returned, he fled to Kuhn's side as well.

However, the gunman soon awoke. He lifted his head, slowly dragging himself to his feet. "Oh, hey there. I almost took a trip to the middle of nowhere, thanks to you, Haseo."

"Now's not the time to be joking!" Haseo growled, picking himself up. "...Kuhn, I wanted to apologize..."

"No need," Kuhn insisted. "...I understand how you feel. However, at the same time, I'm hoping you get it now... Avatars shouldn't just be used. They're very dangerous, and as I said before, Alkaid was lucky to have come out alive. You didn't care much then until Atoli chewed you out... I figured that you'd be a little more hesitant if you actually knew the person."

"...damn it... I'm so sorry, Kuhn..." Haseo seemed as if he was about to burst into tears. "...I didn't... I didn't know... I didn't know _myself_, let alone my Avatar!"

Kuhn hugged Haseo, patting his back. "It's alright, Haseo. Don't worry about it. What's happened has happened, and I'm still alive. Don't worry about the 'what-if's... it's gonna be alright, Haseo. It's gonna be alright."

"...Kuhn..." Haseo latched onto his older companion, crying on his shoulder. "...I'm sorry, Kuhn... I'm sorry..."

"Y'know, normally I'd just pass this off as male bonding, but you two are getting a little _too_ comfy with each other," Pi remarked. "You really shouldn't give the wrong ideas to the crowd, Kuhn."

"Haha..." Kuhn laughed, letting go of Haseo. "Yeah, I guess it did kinda look like that, but Haseo just needed a crying shoulder. He'll be alright, he just needs to calm down."

Pi sighed. "Yeah, yeah... excuses, excuses. Mira must get jealous every time you hug a guy."

"I don't mind," Mira said. "Kuhn's straight as an iron rod. I don't need to worry about him cheating on me with some guy."

"The girls are another story," Pi said, earning herself a glare from Mira.

"...Look, Haseo, it's alright," Kuhn said. "Settle down. You didn't kill me, so all's well and good, right?"

Haseo nodded. "Y-yeah, I guess... thanks, Kuhn."

"No problem," Kuhn said, laughing. "Now, come on. We gotta settle down and get ready for the title match! You won, so you'll be taking on the responsibilities of my group. I hope you don't mind."

"Yeah, thanks," Haseo said. "...Well, at least I get to fight Endrance. I've been wanting to show that jerk who's boss."

Kuhn gave Haseo a thumbs-up. "Yeah! You go kick his ass!"

"...Thanks, Kuhn," Haseo said confidently. "Without you, I don't think I ever would've been ready to fight Endrance. See you later..."

"See ya," Kuhn said, turning to leave. He had a broad grin on his face, which Pi would likely berate him for later.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Next up is the tournament match against Endrance, as you probably guessed. But first, there's a little treat coming up for all you Haseo x Atoli fans! ;D_


	11. Emotion

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: This is going to be a long chapter. As you probably already know, I have a propensity for varying chapter lengths; however, in this case, there was just too much stuff going on for me to simply split it up into two, way-too-short chapters. I hope this doesn't affect my viewer base..._

_Anyway, yeah. Don't worry, I'll go through with my promise from the previous chapter's notes. There will be fluff, action, Silabus being epic and Kuhn being a pervert. In other words, the usual. Move on, and try to ignore the excessive pervertedness about halfway through the chapter. ;p -cough- I'm not sure how I should rate this fic after that scene... XD_

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco. I swear I don't._

**XI** **Chapter 11: Emotion** **XI**

Atoli stepped inside, removing the leash from Ren's harness. "Haseo, you've been sulking ever since the arena fight. Are you still mad at yourself for hurting Kuhn?"

"...Actually..." Haseo looked away. "...I don't even care about what happened today anymore. Kuhn was right... it's all said and done, the lesson's been taught, it's time to move on. To be honest, I..."

She tilted her head, walking over to Haseo while Ren took up his normal spot lounging in the doggie bed next to the sofa. She placed the leash on the end table, looking at Haseo with a questioning look, wondering if that was alright.

"Yeah," Haseo replied. "...I don't mind."

"Haseo... tell me what's wrong," Atoli said. "Why were you sulking all day?"

Haseo looked down. "...I was mad at Mira."

"Mira? What for?"

"She..." Recalling the events of the day, it took him a moment to speak up. "...Even though I knew she wouldn't kill you... I was still angry with her when she put that scythe to your throat. I..."

"...You were also depressed when I yelled at you after the fight with Alkaid," Atoli pointed out. "Why have you been... reacting so strongly...?"

Haseo turned away. "...Look, I'm still a bit confused... Back then, I thought that Shino was all I had. She was... my only reason for living. When I lost her, I lost myself... I just wanted her back. But now... it's not just her..."

"All of your friends," Atoli said. "You were angry with yourself when you nearly killed Kuhn... because he was your friend... right?"

"...Yeah, that's true too..." Haseo trailed off, thinking of what he'd been wanting to confess. "...but still..."

"Haseo, you can tell me what's wrong... don't worry about it, okay? I promise I won't judge you for anything you..."

Cutting herself off, Atoli looked at Haseo, observing his expression. He looked at her, and she noticed the slightest tinge of a blush appearing over the jagged marks on his cheeks.

"Atoli, I... I wanted to tell you something."

"Yes? What did you want to tell me?"

_Just standing here... isn't gonna get me anywhere..._ Haseo berated himself for his hesitance. _I just have to come out and say it... I don't care anymore if she doesn't think I mean it... I just... have to tell her...!_

He stepped forward, gently sliding his arms around her waist. "...Will you promise that you'll trust me?"

"Y-yes, of course I will," she replied.

"...You promise you won't think I don't mean it?"

"Haseo... what are you getting at?"

"It's... it's something I might... have trouble saying right."

"Okay, then... I'll promise... but... what is it?"

Breaking the suspense at last, he leaned in, his nose almost touching hers. "...Atoli, I've... been wanting to tell you this for a long time... I love you..."

"Y-you... you-" Before she could deny it, he kissed her. It took a moment to register in her mind, but once she realized what he'd done, she accepted it and kissed him back. She returned his embrace, knowing now that he hadn't lied. She didn't think he could be so gentle... even as he kissed her, he made sure not to do anything without her permission. She had other ideas; he was surprised when she decided she wanted to make the kiss a little deeper. He blushed profusely, but complied immediately, never imagining that his first kiss would be with someone he barely knew not too long ago.

He knew then that their bond had grown beyond just friendship. Hesitating to break off the kiss, he lingered for a moment before finally letting go.

"...I... I know it's hard to believe, but I..."

She shook her head. "...No, I believe you... it's just... I never thought... that you loved me... I didn't think it was the reason you acted so strangely around me... to be honest, I... thought you hated me..."

"How could I ever hate you, Atoli? You've saved my life more than once, y'know. And you've stopped me from doing something I would've regretted later, had I done it. You... you mean more to me than anyone else I've ever known... so please..."

"...Don't worry, Haseo. I'm not rejecting you... because I love you too."

"...thank you, Atoli... for everything."

"I should be the one thanking you..."

Laughing, he hugged her close, nuzzling the top of her head, which, for once, didn't have a hat covering it. "...You can move off the sofa now."

"And where will I be sleeping?" she inquired curiously.

"In my bed," he replied, smirking when she blushed.

"You... you really mean it?"

"Yeah. I mean it."

"Then... I guess it's settled. I'm staying at your place, right Haseo?"

"Yeah. You can stay at my place. I don't care anymore... I'd rather you be here than with those bastard parents of yours."

"Haseo, that's rude!" In spite of her external displeasure, she agreed with him wholeheartedly. Giggling, she rested her head against his chest, a sweet smile on her face.

"I know it's rude, but it's true," he retorted. "...I'm not gonna bother convincing you not to cook tonight. It's impossible to get you to do anything once you get a thought into that stubborn head of yours."

"I can't let you cook tonight, Haseo!" she stated, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I'm going to cook for us tonight and that's final!"

"...Yeah, I knew it," he said, laughing. "Go ahead. You make dinner."

She hugged him one last time before letting go and walking off to the kitchen. "I hope you like it!"

"Even if it's something I hated, I'd still like it," he said. "After all, it's made with love, isn't it?"

"You sound like you're daring me," she teased. "Don't worry, I'll make something you really, really like!"

He breathed a sigh, exhilarated at the thought of her staying with him. _Now that she knows, I'm not gonna try and push her away. She's gonna stay right here until __**she**__ decides to leave... and I'm __**not**__ letting her go back to her parents'..._

Walking over to the sofa and sitting down, he absently petted Ren while waiting for Atoli to finish cooking dinner. He wondered what it would be like having someone else living at his house... even if she _was_ his girlfriend, it would be strange and awkward.

**aba**

The tournament's title match was later in the day; for now, the three competitors that would enter into the fight with Endrance prepared for the match. Haseo, surprisingly, was being quite a gentleman around Atoli now. Silabus was curious as to why, but chose to keep his mouth shut.

As the three walked through the streets of Lumina Cloth, looking for a place to have lunch, Silabus turned and asked Haseo, "What's with you and Atoli?"

"What do you mean, what's with us?" Haseo shot back.

Silabus tilted his head. "Um... Haseo, there's no need to snap. I was just asking a question... never mind."

"Silabus, um..." Atoli blushed, glancing at Haseo with a questioning look. His response was a brief, slight nod. "...Haseo and I... well, he confessed to me last night."

"Confessed?" Silabus was startled. "...You mean... he confessed that he loves you?"

"Y-yes," Atoli replied, still embarrassed. "...So... we're boyfriend and girlfriend now. And... we're staying at the same house, since my parents kicked me out. There really wasn't any other place I could go to except for Sakaki's..."

"Why did your parents kick you out?" Silabus asked.

Atoli looked down. "...Well, it was because I was staying at Haseo's place the past few nights and they got angry with me. I'm not sure why they didn't just ground me..."

"...Say, Atoli," Haseo said. "About your parents... why are they so mean to you?"

"...I don't know..." was the sullen response from the blonde-haired girl. "...Neither of them... really liked me... they always got into fights, and sometimes those fights would get... physical... I'd get caught between them sometimes, too... and..."

"...I'm sorry, Atoli," Haseo said quickly, gently placing his arm around hers. She held tight to him, comforted by his presence.

"I, um..." Silabus turned away. "If you want, I'll leave you alone for a bit..."

"You don't have to," Haseo said. "I think... that aside from Sakaki and I, you're the person that Atoli trusts most in this world."

"By the way, where would you like to get lunch?" Silabus inquired, trying to change the subject. It worked; Atoli's stomach growled, and she immediately let go of Haseo and stood up straight.

"How about... there?" she suggested, pointing out a random restaurant.

Silabus sighed. "Um... okay, I guess. I, uh... no offense, Atoli, but you have very strange tastes."

"I think it's fine," Haseo insisted. "Let's go, then."

"Oh, alright..." Silabus muttered, somewhat irritated with their choice of food.

**aba**

After they ate, the three headed out and back to the arena's main area. On the way to the arena counter, where they planned to chat until it was time for the match, they were intercepted by Kuhn.

"Hey there, Haseo!" the cheerful gunman greeted, smiling and waving a hand. Haseo immediately looked down.

Kuhn shrugged. "What's with the long face, Haseo? Cheer up! I'm still okay, right?"

"Kuhn!" Silabus ran over and hugged his friend, interrupting Kuhn's attempts at conversation with Haseo. Kuhn laughed, hugging Silabus back, but only briefly.

"I wonder if Gaspard is okay," Silabus pondered. "He must've been pretty surprised when you summoned your Avatar, Kuhn."

"Oh, I already talked to him," Kuhn said. "He was a bit shaken, but he certainly hasn't changed his opinion of me!"

"Um... by the way..." Silabus looked embarrassed. "...How's everything going... with Mira?"

Kuhn sighed. "...No luck yet. Of course, I'm not complaining..."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Haseo questioned.

"Kuhn wants to be a father," Silabus explained. "He's been trying real hard lately, but... apparently he hasn't had much luck..."

Haseo ran over a number of perverse insults in his mind before finally deciding to keep his mouth shut. Atoli tilted her head, curious as to what was wrong.

"What's wrong, Haseo? Are you jealous of Kuhn?"

"Why would I be jealous of him?" Haseo responded. "I don't have any real good reason to be jealous of him."

"Oh, well..." Atoli looked away, trying to hide her face. It was obvious that this was a topic that embarrassed her. "...Um, Kuhn's bond with Mira... indicates that they're very close... it's understandable, since they're married, that they would've consummated by now... I thought you'd be jealous of that fact, Haseo."

"Hell no!" Haseo snapped. "Why should I be jealous for something like that!"

Kuhn laughed. "Oh, look at you, Haseo. Your face is all red! I guess you don't like talking about this subject!"

"The day I even consider liking this subject will be the end of the universe," Haseo muttered under his breath, walking up to the arena counter with a scowl on his face.

Atoli ran after Haseo, wanting to keep up with him in spite of his rage. Silabus glanced at Kuhn, asking, "Do you think he's in denial?"

"I wouldn't doubt it," Kuhn said. "After all, what teenage boy _doesn't_ like that subject? Haha..."

**aba**

"And now, the title match of the Demon Palace Tournament begins! It's the moment you've all been waiting for... the suspense is mounting as we introduce the combatants!"

The crowd began to roar as the commentator continued. "The crowd's new favorite, Team Haseo! This team, in spite of being completely new to the arena, has managed to work their way up through the ranks and into the hearts of the arena's most dedicated fans! Its leader, Haseo, is capable of summoning forth a fighting beast, which he uses to slay all those who dare challenge him! I daresay he might be a match even for the Emperor!"

Haseo looked around, listening to the cheers from all corners of the crowd. "Man, this is embarrassing..."

Nudging him, Atoli spoke. "You don't like being in the spotlight?"

"Shut it, you!" Haseo replied sharply.

"And now, on the other end of the ring... here he comes!" the commentator called. "Admired by all, the mysterious Emperor of the Demon Palace himself, Endrance! Though he fights alone, he has never been defeated before, not once in his entire career! Will the newcomer even stand a chance against this elegant warrior?"

"I wish he'd just stop trying to be dramatic already," Haseo muttered, gazing at the other end of the battle ring. The person which he was now familiar with appeared, taking one step forward.

"...You will not defeat me," Endrance stated. "...Not as long as 'she' is with me..."

"Yeah, I bet you're surprised I made it _this_ far, Endrance," Haseo snarled, drawing his broadsword. "Well guess what? This time, it's Avatar against Avatar. A fair matchup, and you're gonna lose!"

Endrance smirked. "...Your confidence is impressive... however, your skills are truly lacking. How do you expect to defeat me?" He drew his weapon, a long, thin, black sword, which he then pointed at Haseo.

"Alright, then," the commentator began. "The title match begins... now!"

Endrance's swiftness almost caught Haseo off-guard; however, he guarded just in time, blade clashing against broadsword. Haseo used the weight of the broadsword to shove Endrance away, then charged while the stunned swordsman was still down.

The Emperor stood, glaring at Haseo determinedly. He was forced to block another attack from his challenger... Endrance had never figured that Haseo would be this strong.

"His spirit energy has increased dramatically," Silabus observed. "I wonder if he's more in tune with his surroundings and his true skills ever since he fought Kuhn?"

"Well, don't just stand there!" Haseo said. "Do something! Help me out, Silabus!"

Silabus nodded briefly. "Yeah!"

The younger Blade wielder charged toward Endrance, clashing with him for long enough that Haseo could switch weapons. After Haseo switched, however, Endrance's speed was matched, and he was sent flying into the arena wall, collapsing on the floor.

"...What was your name... Silabus, was it," Endrance mumbled. "Your strength... is admirable. However... you've no chance against me."

"I know I don't," Silabus said. "The reason I'm in here is because I want to help Haseo. I don't care if I can't use an Avatar."

Endrance seemed surprised as he stood back up. "You know...?"

"Of course I do," Silabus replied. "My friends told me."

"...Then I'll finish you," Endrance stated, stepping forward. "...You and I will clash blades... and I will defeat you."

Haseo was surprised at this sudden decision. Endrance usually didn't prolong matches... perhaps he was afraid to fight Haseo, or even Atoli, lest she Awaken. The two swordsmen crossed blades as Haseo took up a position beside Atoli to protect her.

"Endrance, do you know what happened to all of those people you killed?" Silabus asked, leaping back and preparing to launch the first attack of their duel.

"...I am not at the liberty to tell you," Endrance responded coldly, blocking Silabus' sword with unmatched grace.

Silabus immediately broke the guard. In spite of Endrance's speed, Silabus had it almost, if not exactly, matched. He spoke again, this time louder and clearer. "Every single person you killed in this arena's battle ring has been lost... their spirits have been sealed away by your Avatar, never to return to this world."

"...You are far more knowledgeable than I gave you credit for," Endrance commented. "However... you cannot run forever. Being fleet of foot has its advantages... but on the other hand..."

Ignoring the Emperor's tirade, Silabus continued. "...That's unforgivable, Endrance. You kill people and you don't even care what happens to their souls! Is this what AIDA does to people?"

"AIDA..." Endrance repeated. "...So you know of that as well. Why, then, do you intend to make it known? You are an ordinary person. You have no means of defense... should you be killed by authorities, you would not be able to resist... your spirit sealed after your death."

"Because I want to help Haseo," Silabus said determinedly. "And even if it means risking my life... I'll help him out!"

Haseo realized that Silabus' loyalty ran deeper than he'd thought. He knew that it wasn't just that he was Silabus' guildmaster now... to Silabus, Haseo was a true leader, a man of great strength who, while he hid his emotions, would unquestioningly protect his friends.

The power of Silabus' emotions made Haseo feel as if the wind had been knocked out of him. Even as he clashed with the Emperor, Silabus' determination was like none other. He knew that his foe could kill him and seal him in one strike, yet he still fought on.

_For you, Haseo..._

Haseo was, naturally, surprised when he heard the voice in his head. _S-Silabus!_

_Yes, it's me, Haseo. Our friendship is strong enough that we can communicate telepathically... isn't it cool? Regardless, though... Haseo, you're more than just a great friend. You're like... the younger brother I never had._

_...Silabus... that means a lot to me..._

Silabus stepped back from his foe, knowing that the time Endrance would use his Avatar was drawing near. "It's your turn, Haseo. You take him down... for me and for Atoli... as well as Kuhn, and the rest of Raven. Take him down... for the sake of all your friends!"

"...Yeah, that's right," Haseo agreed. "...And this time, I'm not gonna lose myself!"

He closed his eyes, the power beginning to flow through his body. It was a familiar feeling now... he knew that he had more control at this point.

"_Okay, now... come on... come on! I'm right here!_"

As he spoke, the crimson patterns glowed on his skin. The crowd's cheering was blotted out by the low rumbling of the Avatar's emergence... letting the power free, he unleashed his Avatar.

"..._Skeith!_"

Endrance sighed. "...I suppose it was inevitable... he was going to call it out at some point or another..." The AIDA took control of him, forcing out his Avatar in a much more unpleasant way. He screamed wildly, overtaken by the untamed emotions of Macha as she appeared before him.

Haseo's first action was to order Skeith to charge at Macha, who was unable to defend. He slashed through Macha's body a number of times before drifting back and switching to spirit bullets.

Macha dashed forward, evading the spirit bullets with surprising swiftness. Haseo felt a sharp pain in his stomach as Skeith was impaled on Macha's claws... struggling to get away from the opposing Avatar, he realized he was bound by Macha's fury.

"...Damn... what the hell is going on here?"

Haseo forced himself back, then charged once again at Macha. A strained yowl was heard from Endrance as the scythe struck Macha; however, Haseo saw no reason to spare him.

"What are you doing, Haseo? Don't you know that this is the same?"

"Shut _up!_" Haseo snarled. "What the hell do _you_ know about how I feel? I had friends... I lost them, and I'm working to get them back. And I've made new friends along the way! Why can't you just accept the fact that you can't only have one friend!"

Endrance's tone remained dull and emotionless. "I know what it's like to lose a friend... however, I can't make new friends... and that is why 'she' is my only friend even now... 'she' is the only one who cares about me... 'she' is the only one who listens to me... 'she' was the only one who ever considered me a person... 'she' needs me..."

"Cut the crap!" Haseo growled, charging once again at Macha. "What's all this garbage about not being able to make new friends? I'm the _Terror of Death_, and look at me! You just aren't _trying_ to make friends, you jerk!"

"...Do not interfere." There was only one emotion in Endrance's voice, and that was anger. "...Do not interfere... and you will not die and be sealed like the rest of them."

Macha's claws wrapped around Skeith's body, and she started mercilessly punching him with her other hand. Haseo flinched, falling limp in Macha's claws... he knew that an AIDA-controlled Avatar was a dangerous thing after fighting Tarvos, but Macha was considerably stronger.

Or was it the AIDA controlling Macha?

A smirk crossed Haseo's face. He raised Skeith's right arm, allowing spirit-draining tendrils to envelop Macha. The barrier hadn't fallen yet, so it wouldn't do much damage, but it would be enough to heal Skeith and force Macha to fall back... both of which it did.

Once again, Endrance's cries of agony tore through the empty space in which the Avatars fought. Macha drifted backward, charging toward Skeith again; however, this time she wasn't strong enough to injure Skeith. Haseo's response was to punch Macha, and then tear down the protective barrier with Skeith's scythe.

"...No! 'She' can't be gone... please... don't leave me... Mia... I beg of you...!"

It was too late, however. Once again, the spirit tentacles wrapped around Macha, targeting only the AIDA this time. In separating Avatar from AIDA, Skeith absorbed a portion of Macha's spirit energy... this would be enough to further strengthen the First Phase.

Haseo recalled his Avatar, watching Endrance collapse on the arena floor. The cat on his shoulder had vanished, and Haseo instantly discerned why.

"...It must've been AIDA..."

Endrance had been knocked unconscious, but was still alive. Haseo breathed a sigh of relief, turning away from the fallen Emperor and leaving the arena the second the commentator called victory.

**aba**

"That was nuts," Haseo muttered to himself, walking down Mac Anu's streets once again. "I guess since I beat the Emperor, that means I 'dethroned' him or whatever... ah well."

Atoli tugged on Haseo's arm. "Let's go home! I want to check on Ren. I'm worried about him."

"Alright, then," Haseo agreed. "Let's go home."

He turned, heading toward his home. A number of people waved at him on the way, recognizing the new Emperor of the Demon Palace.

However, he ignored them. He stepped into his house and closed the door behind him after allowing Atoli to come in. He flopped on the sofa, exhausted from the day's events.

"Ren!" Atoli cried out, having been knocked over by the dog. He proceeded to slobber all over her face, leaving her giggling and wiping dog saliva off of herself.

"Hey, you sure you actually like when he does that?" Haseo remarked. "It looks pretty gross."

Atoli smiled, gently pushing Ren off of herself and standing up. "Well, I don't like it very much, but it's easy to clean up afterwards."

"What if I was a dog?" Haseo inquired, causing Atoli to blush. She quickly began to clean herself up using water magic, then looked away.

"...I don't think I'd mind you doing that even if you were human, Haseo..."

Haseo laughed. "Well, that's cute. I wonder if that kiss really enhanced our bond."

"It probably did," Atoli said, walking over to where Haseo was and sitting next to him. "...Thank you so much for everything, Haseo... I don't know how I can thank you..."

"...Atoli? Is there something wrong?"

Atoli shook her head. "No, nothing wrong. Not since I met you... hehe..."

"What do you mean 'since you met me'? I know your parents hate you, but are you insecure about other things too?"

"Y-yes..." Atoli hung her head. "...Nobody seems to like me. They all push me away, no matter who they are... I feel so lucky to have met people like you and Silabus, who treat me on even ground with everyone else..."

"...I'm sorry to hear that, Atoli," Haseo said sympathetically, moving closer so that he could embrace her.

Atoli huddled close to her boyfriend, resting her head against his shoulder. "I've never had a boyfriend before... you're my first one. I'm really surprised that someone like you would end up being my boyfriend..."

"Do you have any complaints about it?"

"Of course not," Atoli said, smiling. "As long as you love me, I don't mind what kind of person you are."

"...That means a lot to me, Atoli," Haseo said quietly. "...I mean it."

Atoli felt unusually sleepy when she rested in Haseo's arms. She gazed up at him, a hint of affection shining in her eyes. "...Thank you, Haseo... I love you."

"I love you too," Haseo responded, soothing his new girlfriend into sleep.

As she rested, he pondered for a while. _Is Shino gonna be mad at me when she finds out? For some reason, I get the feeling she won't be... she's just not that kind of person. And I don't think it could've worked out between us anyhow..._

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Hope you guys enjoyed Haseo's little confession, as well as the fight with Endrance. I was originally going to have Haseo duel Endrance, but then decided that Silabus hadn't received enough spotlight, so I gave him a chance. XD_

_Next chapter we'll see the crowning ceremony, and hopefully I'll be able to put an end to Volume 1. I've already started writing Volume 2, so I hope to get caught up to what I have scribbled within the next few days._


	12. Nemesis

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Alright, I'm not going to beg, but I really would like some feedback from my viewers. I'd like to know just how crappy my story is. ;P_

_Anyway, on to the next part. We'll conclude Volume 1 in this chapter. I'm not going to include the AIDA server incident because, in the new setting, it would be hard to make realistic. Then again, I suppose I've broken my own trend a few times already... XD_

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco._

**XII** **Chapter 12: Nemesis** **XII**

The post-tournament crowning ceremony was the last thing Haseo wanted to experience. He was presented with a new set of dual swords, then congratulated by an enormous crowd of people on his victory. He settled on heading out to a more secluded place, the balcony overlooking the ocean.

He was surprised to hear the voice of a girl. Turning around, he saw Atoli standing behind him, panting as if out of breath.

"Did you come all the way out here just to see me?"

"Y-yes," Atoli replied, walking over to him after catching her breath. "...You see, I saw you running off toward here, and... I figured that you wanted to be alone, but..."

"Don't worry," Haseo said. "I'm not angry."

Atoli smiled, holding his hand as she looked out over the ocean. "...It's beautiful here in Hy Brasail, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," Haseo agreed. "...I think it'd be nice to get married in a place like this."

"Yes, that's always been my dream," Atoli said. "Of course, I never thought that dream would be fulfilled... no one ever really liked me in that way..."

Haseo kept his mouth shut as he pondered to himself. _I wonder... if I can make her dream come true._

"Hello, Haseo."

Before he had the chance to speak, the young Adept had heard a familiar voice. Turning to face the person behind him, he blinked. Certainly _that_ person hadn't come to attend the cerremony...

"...Ovan!"

"Why are you so surprised, Haseo?" the tall, blue-haired man said, peering through orange-tinted glasses at his old ally. "I only came to congratulate you on your victory against Endrance. And I see you've found... a friend."

Haseo scowled. "What the hell do you mean by that, Ovan?"

Ovan simply lowered his glasses, speaking in a calm, unwavering tone. "If you'd like to know more about AIDA and Tri-Edge... come to the Morrigu Barrow Wall. There is a Sign there."

With that, the cryptic man left, leaving Haseo to stare. "What in the... he knows about AIDA... and Tri-Edge? Damn him... he abandons us, then runs off like that with barely a clue... and he always... knows too much!"

"Haseo, please calm down," Atoli said, taking Haseo by the arm. "...I think we should listen to him. The ceremony's over, so we can go back to town now."

Haseo sighed. "...Alright, I'll go there."

As they left the Isle of Kings, Haseo thought about what had happened up until then. So much had happened to him, and he was confused... and exhausted. He was sure that he'd be able to get some rest eventually... however, finding Tri-Edge was more important, at this point.

**aba**

The Lost Ground, as it was called; a ruin of ancient civilization, a remnant of the past. Scattered throughout the known world, these places were protected from monsters by an invisible barrier that also linked each one of them in an unexplainable way. The towering wall at Morrigu Barrow was one such place; it was said to have sealed off the heavens from the prying earthlings that lived below.

And even now, as Haseo's physical form was warped into the area surrounding the wall, he wondered if that tale was really true.

He stepped forward, his companion trailing close behind him. His eyes immediately settled on the three-edged mark that had been imprinted into the wall's stone. There had been another victim of Tri-Edge here... he knew it. That sign only appeared where Tri-Edge had killed.

Haseo also knew what that meant. It was that Tri-Edge had been here... and judging by the eerie presence about the place, the aura twisting and turning... he was still there.

He walked up to the Sign, beckoning Atoli over. He didn't want to leave her out of this... but at the same time, he didn't want her to get involved. This was a mission only he could accomplish... and he knew that in his heart.

The spirit presence floating around the Sign was strong enough that Haseo almost backed away from it. However, he decided to press on... touching the surface of the Sign, he saw everything around him blurring and distorting. He realized then that it was a portal to another world - the spirit realm.

He looked around, taking in his new surroundings. All he could see, wherever he looked, was empty white space. Atoli was confused, looking around and trying to blot out the whistling noise she heard. Haseo, concerned about Atoli, took her hand, hoping to ease her fears.

"...Haseo, what's going on?"

"Somehow, that Sign transported us to the spirit realm," Haseo replied. "I'm not sure if we can get out of here... I'm hoping that we can. Damn that Tri-Edge..."

He stiffened, feeling the changing aura of the place. Someone was approaching... he just didn't know who. His question was answered when a blue sphere of flame appeared, drifting down from the invisible sky and unveiling the presence of an incomplete body. The second he laid eyes on the person, Haseo knew who it was.

"...That's him..."

"Haseo..." Atoli stepped forward, but Haseo gently pushed her back. She was surprised, but listened to his orders.

"That's Tri-Edge, Atoli. You don't want to get involved with him. I'll handle this."

The doll-like figure's aura began to resonate in a familiar way. Haseo recognized it as being the aura of an Epitaph User... was Tri-Edge one of them as well? The white around them was replaced by black as the figure transformed.

_This isn't an Avatar,_ Haseo told himself. _It must've been something Tri-Edge spirit-drained. I haven't seen an Avatar that incorporated its user's body._

"...Fine then. That's your response? Well, I have some friends of mine I'm looking to save. And in order to do that... well, I'm just gonna have to kill you. Sorry, Tri-Edge."

He spoke those last words with an edge of sarcasm as he began to summon his Avatar.

Once Skeith appeared, Haseo immediately ordered it toward his foe. Tri-Edge blocked Skeith's scythe with one of his three-edged blades, which had taken a different shape entirely with the transformation into an Avatar-like form. The fierce clash of the two rivals resonated through the empty space - Atoli could feel the spirit presence radiating from the contact point.

Haseo once again ordered Skeith forward, this time to break through the clash. It worked; one of the blades of Tri-Edge's weapon went hurtling through empty space, vaporizing into thin air. Taking advantage of the distraction, Skeith struck the opposing Avatar, slashing with a vengeance. For a time, Tri-Edge was stunned, but then knocked Skeith back and grabbed onto its body.

Helpless, the young Epitaph User could only stare at his foe as he felt eerie wind rushing past him. Pain resonated through his body when he collided with something large and spherical, which then exploded. The attack almost tore Skeith apart - Haseo was only hanging on by a few threads.

"...damn it... why... why can't I... ever...!"

His Avatar reacted on reflex. Shooting up through the empty space, Skeith struck Tri-Edge, creating a large hole in the opposing Avatar's body. Haseo felt his connection reform, and quickly took advantage by ordering Skeith to attack once again.

Atoli watched the battle from below. She was terrified, wanting to help Haseo whenever he got hurt, but unable to. After all, healing magic only mended physical abnormalities and not spiritual ones... she winced, seeing Haseo caught up in one of Tri-Edge's more vicious assaults.

"Haseo... please... please be safe..."

It was then that she noticed something. In spite of the damage being dealt on both sides, Tri-Edge was gaining the upper hand. She was worried now that Haseo would suffer the same fate as his friend...

Haseo felt spirit tendrils envelop his body; he was too worn out to resist, and he knew that this attack would only hurt him further. He closed his eyes, knowing that he had lost. He accepted the simple fact that this time, he was _going_ to be sealed.

_I'm sorry... Atoli... I couldn't... protect you... not... this... time..._

Though Haseo had accepted his fate, Skeith had other ideas. Snapping free of the spirit tendrils, it charged once again at Tri-Edge, slashing fiercely with its claws and rapidly tearing down the protective barrier surrounding him. Haseo was surprised at this sudden loss of control; he never expected Skeith to fly into a berserk rage at the very last moment. However, he noticed that his spirit hadn't completely detached from Skeith's. This time, he knew he was in control.

"...take him out... Skeith."

The Avatar seemed more than happy to comply. Raising its right arm, it extended its own spirit tendrils, which struck Tri-Edge and quickly pinned him down. Haseo felt the warmth of spirit energy returning to his battered body, and in turn he noticed Skeith's increasing strength.

He had defeated Tri-Edge. The realization came to him seconds after the Avatar form of his foe faded.

And soon after, the puppet-like creature disappeared once again into the shadows of the spirit realm.

"...That... was a rough fight," Haseo observed, looking back at Atoli. "Hey, you okay?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine," Atoli responded. "By the way... um..."

Haseo tilted his head. "Yeah?"

"...Do you think... there might still be something here?"

"I don't feel anything."

"...I can hear it... it's that sound. AIDA's still here..."

Nodding in comprehension, Haseo prepared himself for another fight. He knew that he was still too tired from the previous battle to face off against an AIDA, but still wanted to be prepared.

Before he could do anything, a fish-like monster appeared out of nowhere. Dissolving into a gelatinous blob, it extended black tentacles to Atoli's body, striking her. Haseo thought at first that the AIDA would infect her, but it simply pulled away, leaving Atoli falling to the floor. The AIDA disappeared, escaping back into the endless reaches of the spirit realm.

Haseo rushed to Atoli's side. Observing her, he noted that her eyes were open and glazed over... she was breathing, but in slow, ragged breaths. He cursed the AIDA for a few minutes before picking her up and walking aimlessly about the place. He had to find somewhere that he could head back and provide some medical attention...

However, the spirit realm around them seemingly dissolved back into the real world. Haseo left the Sign behind, returning to town and immediately rushing Atoli to Raven.

**aba**

"Do you know what happened to Atoli? She looks like she's half-dead."

A highly concerned Kuhn knelt beside the girl, checking her over. Haseo waited, but to no avail. Kuhn stood, shaking his head.

"...I can't figure anything out. You say she got attacked by AIDA, but then it fled into the spirit realm?"

"Yeah," Haseo replied.

Kuhn looked distressed. "If AIDA's infected the spirit realm too, we're in trouble. Are you sure it wasn't just an illusion?"

"It could've been," Haseo said. "I didn't see anyone else around, so..."

Atoli blinked slowly, sitting up. "...Haseo...? Kuhn...?"

"Atoli," Haseo addressed her, holding out a hand to help her up. "...An AIDA attacked you. Don't worry, it's not here anymore."

Atoli nodded, standing. However, she almost fell over again. Confused, she noticed that her spirit energy was weak. "...Haseo, I..."

They were interrupted when Yata stepped in. "Excuse me... Haseo... Atoli. You two were on the other side of the Sign, am I correct?"

"Yes," Atoli replied. "Um... Master Yata... what happened to me?"

"Hm... well, this certainly isn't something that can be cured through natural means," Yata said grimly. "The AIDA that attacked you on the other side of the Sign probably... literally stole part of your spirit. More specifically, the Phase dwelling within you, which has not yet Awakened."

Atoli blinked. "The Phase... dwelling within me? Does that mean... I'm not an Epitaph User anymore?"

"Not exactly," Kuhn said. "It just means you won't be able to Awaken its power until it's retrieved. Also, your spirit power is gonna be pretty weak, so don't push yourself."

"Do you have any idea where the AIDA went?" Haseo questioned. "...I'm gonna track it down and retrieve that Phase."

Yata held up a hand. "Calm down, Haseo. I'll begin to look for the AIDA as soon as possible. Try to be patient, alright? It might take a while, but I'm sure Atoli can be healed."

"...Yeah," Haseo agreed halfheartedly. "...I hope Atoli will be alright..."

"She'll be fine," Kuhn insisted. "All we need to do is find that Phase and bring it back to her. Once we do that, she'll be able to Awaken it. And once she Awakens, we'll have another Epitaph User on our side! Just look up, Haseo. Atoli will be just fine. You'll help her out as her Prince Charming, right?"

Haseo blushed. "When you put it like that, it makes me think you're saying I'm just doing this for her..."

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yeah, I'm not excluding that part because it's a good excuse to get into the Holy Palace tournament which takes place in Volume 2. XD To all you Alkaid fans, I'm pretty sure you'll like the next few parts, 'cuz she's going to get a LOT of spotlight._

_Also, if you notice a personality change in Haseo, it's my depiction of him post-Rebirth. I berated myself already for the sudden change, so you don't have to. ;P_


	13. Anomaly

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Yeah, I know this is a quick update, but I was itching to get the next chapter up. XD This chapter introduces the AIDA-infected Sirius, as well as Alkaid's friendship with Haseo. Now just a word of warning; I'm not exactly sure how to depict Alkaid, so if I got her character all wrong, then feel free to criticize._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything, k? So please don't kick me. D;_

**XIII** **Chapter 13: Anomaly** **XIII**

Haseo was determined to wait until they had pinpointed the location of the AIDA. He decided to travel to the Celestial City of Dol Dona while waiting... the monsters around Mac Anu were getting easier and easier to defeat, and Haseo was searching for a challenge so that he could get stronger.

Upon arriving in the city, he noticed the change of scenery immediately. The sky was clear and blue, and the walls of the structures were overgrown with vines. Surrounding the city was a natural wall of stone, a towering mountain that had been eaten away by the wind and the people as time passed.

Overall, the city was surprisingly beautiful. Haseo felt as if he could relax for a while in this place.

Before he could rest, a bizarre sight was seen. An exceedingly tall person with the body of a human and the face of an animal was walking past, a feral glare in his eyes. Right behind him was a scarlet-haired girl, who seemed to be struggling to get him to listen to her.

"Huh? Isn't that..." Haseo recognized the girl's face seconds after he laid eyes on her. It was the same person he'd almost killed in the semifinals of the Demon Palace tournament... Alkaid, the former Emperor. In an attempt to distract her, he waved and called, "Hey, you!"

However, Alkaid ignored him, continuing to chase after the dog-person, who continued to ignore _her_. Haseo sighed, waiting until the tall man disappeared into the transporter's field before attempting to speak with Alkaid.

"Hey, you. Alkaid."

Her reaction was to glare at Haseo. "You... you almost killed me with that damn thing of yours! Get the hell away from me-"

Before she could flee, Haseo grabbed onto her arm. "Look, Alkaid. There's something wrong with that guy you were talking to. I can feel it in his aura."

"What the..." Alkaid averted her eyes, still angered, but also curious. "...Do you know what's wrong with Sirius?"

"...I know I almost killed you with that fighting beast," Haseo said. "But that same fighting beast is the one thing that can probably heal your friend's... spiritual abnormality."

Alkaid hung her head. "...So you _do_ know what's wrong with Sirius... can you please tell me? I'll trust you for now as long as I can figure out what's up with him..."

"...It's called AIDA," Haseo explained. "It's an infection that corrodes the mind and spirit, rather than the body. Those it infects have their negative emotions amplified... and their spirits slowly eaten away, replaced by nothing but a mindless shell controlled by the AIDA."

Falling silent, the ex-Emperor turned away from Haseo, still sulking. "...Well, I guess I can believe that. But... what do you mean that fighting beast is the only thing that can heal him?"

"It's called an Avatar," Haseo continued. "And as I said, it's the only thing that can combat AIDA. In other words... one of us eight Epitaph Users, the bearers of the Avatars, could probably heal your friend."

"Epitaph?" Alkaid questioned. "As in, the Epitaph of Twilight?"

Haseo nodded. "Yeah. But there's a lot more to it than that. I can explain it later... for now, though..."

"You want to help Sirius?" Alkaid said. "...But why? He's a friend of mine, and I'm your-"

"Don't say you're my enemy," Haseo said. "You're not. My real enemy is AIDA... and that's why I nearly killed you to get through the tournament. You see... Endrance, in addition to bearing an Avatar, was also infected with AIDA. I wanted to remove that from him..."

Alkaid stared at her feet. "...I guess I'll buy that story for now. I'm... really worried about Sirius. You're an Epitaph User, right? That means you can fight AIDA, right? Well if that's the case, I guess... you're the only person I can trust to help save him at this point."

"...Thanks for believing me," Haseo said. "Most normal people would never believe what I just told you. But rest assured, it's all true."

"I know it's true," Alkaid said. "...It's all true. That's why I'm trusting you. And... I'm sorry for getting all upset. By the way... um..."

Haseo tilted his head. "Yeah?"

"Would you like to enter the Holy Palace tournament with me?" Alkaid asked. "I mean, I've been wanting to talk to Sirius, but the only people he communicates with are the ones he fights in the arena. And Sirius is the Emperor of the Holy Palace... I want to talk to him, but I need some teammates."

"That's fine by me," Haseo agreed. "I'll go with you as long as you don't backstab me."

Alkaid glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"I'm joking," Haseo said, laughing. "Don't take everything so seriously. Anyway, we'll need another person to come with us, right? I think I know the right person for the job..."

"You do?" Alkaid was curious. "Are they a friend of yours?"

Haseo smirked. "More than just a friend. She's my girlfriend... and she's a skilled healer. Might come in handy in the arena, right?"

"Your..." Alkaid blinked, choosing to ignore the first part. "Alright, then! Let's go!"

**aba**

"Hm... it looks as if AIDA is getting a little more serious about hiding from the Epitaph Users..."

Yata looked displeased. Even the monitors at the Serpent of Lore couldn't pinpoint the location of the Phase... he tried to remain calm, but it was getting more and more difficult as time passed.

"Master Yata!" Pi exclaimed, bursting into the room. "I think I've figured it out!"

"You mean, you found the location of the-" Yata cut himself off; the expression on Pi's face indicated that the answer to his question was yes. "Where is it?"

"Well, Haseo noticed something different in the Holy Palace Emperor's aura," Pi said. "It looks as if he's been infected too... Haseo is entering the tournament with Alkaid and Atoli, with the intention of removing the AIDA from Sirius."

Yata nodded. "And how did you discern that this was the same AIDA?"

"I had an encounter with the Emperor myself..." Pi replied. "...I could feel more than one other presence in his aura. The other presence felt suspiciously similar to Atoli's..."

Without further hesitation, Yata wrote down the information on the Serpent of Lore's monitor. "...Yes, it appears it's found a match. You were correct, Pi... inform Haseo immediately."

"I'm on it," Pi stated, turning and leaving. Yata looked down, pondering Haseo's decision.

"...I'm beginning to wonder if that boy has some manner of intuition... he acts on his own, but every single one of his actions corresponds with G.U.'s best interest..."

**aba**

Tapping his foot, waiting impatiently at the arena counter, Haseo wondered what in the world was taking Atoli so long. A surprise came when not one, but _two_ people ran up to him; standing aside the Cleric was Pi, and her expression looked as if she'd just discovered the greatest treasure in all the world.

"Haseo! Listen to this!" Pi's tone was excited. "It looks as if the AIDA that you're going after was the one we were looking for all this time!"

"...The hell do you mean by that?" Haseo questioned, tilting his head. "...Wait, you don't mean that AIDA in Sirius also stole the Phase from Atoli?"

"You didn't notice?" Pi looked surprised. "Interesting... regardless, though, this means that you have yet another reason to enter the tournament."

Alkaid, standing beside Haseo, questioned the sudden appearance of the two females. "Hey, what's up with this? Who's this old hag?"

Pi immediately scowled, and Haseo laughed. "She's an Epitaph User, too. She's part of the group that's investigating AIDA. And by the way, please don't call her an 'old hag'. She hates that. Her name's Pi."

"...Seems like you've changed a lot," Pi muttered sarcastically, turning away. "If you'll excuse me."

"Haseo?" Atoli stepped forward as Pi left. "You were entering the Holy Palace tournament so that you could check out what was wrong with Sirius, weren't you? W-well..." She looked down, blushing. "...You have even more reason to enter the tournament now, don't you? To help me out..."

"Yeah," Haseo said, stepping forward and placing a hand on Atoli's shoulder. "Cheer up, Atoli. I'll fix you up."

"Thank you, Haseo..."

"So this is your girlfriend, huh?" Alkaid remarked, causing Atoli to blush profusely. "Never would've figured a guy like you would hook up with someone like her, Haseo."

"...She's been through a lot," Haseo stated. "Please don't treat her harshly."

"Oh, I'm not," Alkaid said. "She's cute, that I'll give her. I think you've got good taste after all!"

Atoli's blush deepened further. "...Do you really mean that, Alkaid? Um... thank you..."

"Don't worry," Alkaid said, stepping forward. "You're one of those Epitaph Users, aren't you? I'm sure it'll be fine. Haseo's gonna make everything better, okay? He's not just doing this for me anymore, y'know. He's doing it for you, too."

"Yes, I know," Atoli said, nodding. "By the way, Haseo didn't mean to try and kill you, Alkaid."

Alkaid grinned. "Don't worry! I've forgiven him for that little incident. Things happen, y'know? Besides, I know why he was doing it now. And now, thanks to him, I can aim higher!"

"You sure are passionate about the arena," Haseo commented.

"Yeah, well, it's a favorite pastime of mine," Alkaid said. "I'm not like those scumbag murderers who just go around killing people for fun. It's stupid to just kill people. In the arena, you fight to maintain the highest honor... and thanks to that, I've only killed one person in my entire career."

"Wow, that's cool!" Atoli exclaimed, at the same time Haseo muttered, "Well that's nice." Alkaid looked between the two for a moment, and instantly decided she liked Atoli.

"Alright then," Alkaid said. "I'm itching to get back into a tournament! Haseo, would you sign me up?"

Haseo nodded, turning back to the counter. "I'd like to register myself and my teammates for the tournament... yeah, I read the rules."

Alkaid thought to herself as Haseo began the registration process. _I guess... he wasn't interested in the title after all. He has a point, it's just a title, but... giving it up so easily...?_

**aba**

"The Holy Palace tournament begins! In this first round, we see a familiar face once again entering the arena. That's right, everyone... the undeniable favorite of the crowd, Team Haseo, is back to claim another throne! He's changed his lineup, now bringing along the ex-Emperor of the Demon Palace, Alkaid!"

Haseo sighed. _That damn commentator had better shape up his act soon or I'm gonna kick his ass._ Looking between his teammates, he noticed that Alkaid already had her dual swords out. Atoli was observing Alkaid, likely hoping to learn from her.

"You already have some experience, so you'd better do good out there, you hear me, Atoli?" Alkaid called. Atoli nodded quickly, drawing her staff.

"And on the other end of the ring, it's the new challenger, Team Crimson Blossom! Though they lost the last title match, they're back with a vengeance to claim the throne! Will Team Haseo stand a chance? Now then... let the match begin!"

Haseo drew his broadsword, charging at the opposing team's leader. The force from the collision of their weapons knocked both leaders back, but the enemy team's leader took longer to recover. Haseo took advantage of the opening to attack the enemy off-guard.

The leader was sent flying into the arena wall, left struggling to get back up. Alkaid charged after the team's healer, while Atoli chose to fight at range with the gunman. After beating down the healer, Alkaid decided to observe Atoli while she performed a similar beatdown on the gunman with her spells.

_She fights a lot better than I thought she would. For being such a nice girl, I never thought she'd go so crazy in combat. Not to mention, I'm pretty sure she's from Moon Tree..._

Her thoughts were cut off when the commentator called a victory for Haseo. Stowing his broadsword, the Adept turned and waved at his two teammates.

"You did great out there," Alkaid said, turning to Atoli. "I never would've expected someone from Moon Tree to be such a great fighter."

Atoli blushed. "Y-you praise me too much, Alkaid..."

"Hey, it's true!" Alkaid insisted, laughing. "Hell, I'd rather have a healer like you on my side than anyone else!"

Haseo stared at the two girls. _Huh... they're getting along surprisingly well. I just hope Alkaid doesn't get jealous..._

"That match was a complete disappointment," he muttered under his breath. "...The enemy didn't even stand a chance. They'd better give me a stronger enemy for round two..."

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Again, my apologies if I misportrayed Alkaid. She's a tough character to work with for me. Also, consider the first round of the Holy Palace kind of a thrown-in addition. It doesn't have much significance to the plot of the game, so I decided to make it short and sweet - enough so that it could be included in this chapter, apparently._

_Next up, we get to see... Sakaki's scheming, and Silabus and Alkaid are... friends! Yeah, I'm gonna be introducing a teeeeeeny bit of Alcor into the fic, though not much since I haven't read it. XD_


	14. Explore

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Okay, this is gonna be a slightly longer chapter. I'm kinda mad at myself for making the interlude so long, actually... not to mention the whole chapters of varying lengths thing ticks me off. Oh, well... I guess it can't be helped ._.'_

_Also, be warned for pervertedness._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. NOTHING! So no suing, okay? I swear I don't own anything!_

**XIV** **Chapter 14: Explore** **XIV**

As they exited the arena, Alkaid hung her head. _I'm beginning to wonder... if I had the wrong idea about Haseo. He didn't seem to care about anyone when I fought him in the Demon Palace... but he's always looking out for his friends, no matter what kind of battlefield. I'll admit, I kinda admire him..._

"If you'll excuse me," Atoli said, turning. "I'm going to go home and take care of my pets. Thank you so much for the great match, both of you! I'm sure this tournament will be exceptional!"

"See you later," Alkaid waved. "Say, Haseo. Where _does_ she live anyhow?"

Haseo shrugged. "She got kicked out of her own home at Moon Tree, so now she's staying at my place."

"You mean, she's _living with you_?" Alkaid restrained her laughter. "No _wonder_ you two became boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Yeah," Haseo said nonchalantly. "Well, it's a bit more than that. We've known each other for a while and we've always been on good terms. Hey, where do you live anyhow? Here in Lumina Cloth?"

"Yep," Alkaid replied. "I'm with Icolo. They took me in after I became Emperor of the Demon Palace and I've been living there ever since. There aren't many people there... just Sirius and Taihaku... but it's pretty cozy."

"Taihaku," Haseo repeated, a memory bubbling up in his mind at the name. "...For some reason, I think I've heard of that guy before."

Alkaid smirked. "So I guess you already know about Icolo, huh?"

"Well, sorta," Haseo said. "It's the guild of arena champions, founded by the legendary Emperor Antares."

"Spot on," Alkaid remarked. "Well then, let's get going. Oh, by the way, I've been meaning to tell you something..."

Haseo tilted his head curiously. "Yeah?"

"Well... it involves the second unit leader of Moon Tree," Alkaid said. "...What was his name... Sakaki, I think. He's been hanging out in the back alley of Lumina Cloth's arena area talking with this weird-looking woman."

"...Sakaki, huh..." Haseo growled. "...I knew I had a bad feeling about that guy. Can you tell me how the person he was talking to looked?"

"Well, she was this tall, dark-skinned, red-haired woman," Alkaid said, and Haseo instantly knew who she was talking about. "But something was off about her... part of her body looked like it was infected with some weird, demonic virus or something. Her limbs were all black, with red lines going up and down..."

"Bordeaux," Haseo said. "...Sounds to me like she's got a pretty bad infection."

Alkaid blinked. "Wait, you know that woman?"

"Know her?" Haseo grimaced. "She tried to kill me twice. And she's still coming back for more, I bet you... she's the reason I can use this Avatar. And you tell me now she's got an infection? It's probably AIDA... damn it!"

"AIDA?" Alkaid looked surprised. "Well, it doesn't seem too unlikely, but... if I can get some more information on those two, I'll contact you, 'kay? For some reason, I've got a really bad feeling about this..."

_So Sakaki was talking to Bordeaux, who looked like she was infected with AIDA..._ Haseo pondered. _...I should tell Atoli about this. Warn her in case Sakaki decides to do something stupid..._

**aba**

The next day, Haseo returned once again to Dol Dona. At the gate, there were two familiar faces who stared at him in inquiry.

"...Haseo..." Atoli looked up, surprised that he'd changed form. "...You look just like you did... when we first met."

"Yeah," Haseo responded. "...You know what happened, right?"

Atoli nodded. "Yes, I do, but... it's just a surprise. Um... you said you wanted to tell me something..."

"I did," Haseo said, his tone turning somewhat grim. "...It's about Sakaki."

"Sakaki? What happened to him?"

"Alkaid told me she saw him in the back alley, talking to Bordeaux," Haseo said. "And what's worse is, Bordeaux... was apparently infected with AIDA. This is serious, Atoli... do you know what this means? Not only is Sakaki associating with an infamous murderer and member of Kestrel, but she's also infected... why would Sakaki be doing something like that?"

Atoli hung her head. "...Come to think about it, Sakaki's been acting very strange lately... I wonder if..."

"Do you think he's infected as well?" Haseo inquired.

"I don't think he's infected," Atoli said. "But if he's associating with people who are, then... that would explain why he's acting so strangely... something's wrong with him... I want to find out what exactly."

"You can't talk to him until we return your Phase," Haseo warned. "...If he's got AIDA-infected lackeys somewhere, then... you can't risk being sealed."

"I know, but..."

"Atoli, you know how dangerous this is," Haseo stated. "Let's wait until we get the Phase back. Then you might be able to defend yourself."

"Okay..." Atoli said hesitantly. She was worried about Sakaki, but Haseo had a point. "Well then, shall we be off?"

Alkaid glanced over at Atoli. "You mean, we're gonna go adventuring?"

"Yes," Atoli replied. "Lord Zelkova told me of a place that has an abundance of monsters. Why don't we go check it out?"

"Sounds good to me!" Alkaid agreed. "Then let's get going! It's gonna be so fun exploring with you and Haseo!"

**aba**

Haseo noticed the scorching heat the second he could feel again. Looking around, he realized his feet were sinking into dry sand. "Huh... a desert."

"Yes, it's a desert," Atoli confirmed. "There are a lot of deserts near Dol Dona... I guess Lord Zelkova thought it'd be a good place for us to train."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Alkaid charged ahead of the two, who were still trying to get used to the heat and the sand. "Let's go!"

"W-wait up, Alkaid!" Haseo yelled, trying to follow Alkaid but tripping on his own feet before he caught up to her.

Alkaid turned, rushing to Haseo's aid. "Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot, you're new to this kind of terrain."

"No, it's okay," Haseo insisted, struggling to pull himself to his feet. "...Anyway, let's go. Atoli?"

Atoli stepped up, looking hesitant. "This is going to be difficult..."

"Not really," Alkaid said. "I'll tell you the secret."

As Alkaid began to ramble, Haseo sighed heavily. _We just need to get a little stronger... so that we don't get our asses kicked in the next tournament round. Next time, I'll ask Atoli if she can pick another kind of area..._

"Hey, Haseo, were you listening?" Alkaid questioned.

Haseo nodded. "Yeah, I was..." In truth, it wasn't a lie. He already knew most of the specifics, but it was still hard to get used to being in a desert when you'd never been in one before.

"...Alright then," Alkaid said. "Let's _really_ get going now! And don't worry, I'm not gonna take off this time. Let's just take it slow and easy so you two can keep up."

Advancing slowly through the desert, the three looked out for any signs of attacking hordes. When there weren't any, Haseo began to get discouraged. He turned as if to head back, but a screeching noise interrupted him.

"What in the..."

A huge bird monster had ambushed them, followed by a number of lizards and enchanted objects. Haseo growled, swearing under his breath as he drew his scythe.

"Damn it! How did they manage to get behind us!"

"Next time, pay more attention!" Alkaid complained, drawing her own weapons. "Atoli, what are you waiting for!"

Atoli nodded, preparing herself from combat. "R-right!"

Haseo's scythe clashed with the bird's talons. As he tried to push it away, another monster struck him, knocking him back. He mumbled a few curses before getting back up and going on the offense.

"Hyaa!"

Leaping into the air, he twirled his scythe a few times, knocking the bird monster back. Atoli was impressed as she watched Haseo; the scythe was obviously his favored weapon, and his skill with it surpassed his skill with either of his other weapons. She wondered if it had something to do with his Avatar, which also wielded a scythe.

"...Lend me a hand, you two!" the Adept called back, falling back down to the ground and gracefully landing on his feet. This time, he used the scythe to flick away a number of lizards, which quickly fell down, defeated.

Alkaid nodded, glancing at Atoli briefly before rushing at the bird monster. Using a burst of magic power to propel herself into the air, she gave the monster a knock on the head with one of her blades, then began slashing at it furiously, ending the attack by latching her two swords together and spinning them, which chewed through the bird's skin and feathers and slowly tore it apart.

Making sure the bird monster was defeated, Atoli sent a spell in its direction. A number of boulders erupted from the ground, then crashed back down on the monster's battered body. Haseo unintentionally finished it off with a scythe swing, which had been aimed at the two stone-like monsters. Realizing that all of the foes around them had been defeated, he took some time to rest up.

Before he could catch his breath, Haseo noticed a similar band of monsters approaching. Cursing his luck, he muttered under his breath, "This is gonna be a long trip..."

**aba**

By the time they'd gotten back, Haseo wondered if that training trip was really worth it. He couldn't even stand up straight, he was so tired... the second he returned to Dol Dona, he collapsed on the floor in front of the gate.

"Haseo!" Atoli rushed to his side, kneeling beside him and checking his vitals. "...He's just tired. He needs to get some rest, okay?"

"Yeah... can't blame him," Alkaid said. "I'm surprised that you're not as tired as he is... I'm exhausted myself..."

"Want to help me carry him?" Atoli suggested. "I'm... not very strong, so I don't think that I can lift Haseo..."

"I don't have any objections," Alkaid said. "As long as you take his legs."

Atoli blushed. "Wh-what! What do you mean by that, Alkaid!"

"I was joking," Alkaid grumbled, picking up Haseo. Atoli was surprised when she hefted the boy over her shoulder with little effort.

"Wow, Alkaid! You're really strong!"

"Comes with being an Arena Emperor," Alkaid remarked, walking down the stairs. "But hey, I'm still tired out, so you might have to carry him for a bit!"

Atoli's face reddened at the thought. _Me, carrying Haseo... by myself? No... of course not! I... I don't..._

"I'm _JOKING!_" Emphasizing the latter word, Alkaid shoved open the doors leading to the main city. Atoli rushed after her, still blushing profusely.

"I still want to know what you were talking about when you asked me to carry him by the legs!" the Cleric insisted. "If I carry him by his legs, I'll have to look away because-"

Evidently, the commotion had awoken Haseo. "Would you two just _stop arguing already!_"

"But... but Alkaid wanted me to stare at your butt, Haseo!" Atoli complained. Haseo grumbled some muffled curses and worked his way off of Alkaid's shoulder.

"There's a _problem_ with that?" the Adept snarled, taking the next few steps toward Canard's new base. However, he collapsed again, leaving Alkaid to pick him up.

"Don't overexert yourself, Haseo!" Atoli warned. "I don't want you to die of exhaustion!"

Haseo continued muttering for a few seconds before he realized that Alkaid had purposely thrown his back end over her shoulder. This time, he cursed out loud, leaving Alkaid to stare at him and Atoli to ponder why he was so angry all of a sudden.

_Maybe he's embarrassed... or maybe he just wants to get some rest..._

It wasn't long before they arrived at the base. Haseo was unceremoniously dumped at the entrance to the building, causing homicidal thoughts to arise in his head. Breathing a sigh, he dragged himself off to the base's infirmary, flopping down on a bed and quickly falling asleep. Atoli monitored him while Alkaid took the time to explore the structure.

She could've sworn there was a familiar presence about the place...

"Hey, Alkaid!"

The ex-Emperor turned around, only to be knocked over by a brown-haired young man. Recognizing who it was instantly, she tried to pick herself up, only to realize that he'd hugged her. He stood, dusting himself off and looking at her apologetically. She stood as well, smiling back at him.

"Oh, Silabus! I remember you!" Alkaid said cheerfully. "But you didn't have to tackle me like that..."

Silabus grinned. "It's been a long time, Alkaid! I missed you! Hey, how's everything been going lately in Icolo?"

"Well, um, about that..." Alkaid sighed. "Sirius is acting weird, and Haseo thinks it's AIDA. Um... did he tell you what AIDA was?"

"Yes, he did," Silabus said. "...Um, sorry to hear that, Alkaid. I hope that Haseo can help Sirius out."

"I'm sure he'll be able to," Alkaid said. "After all, I'm in the tournament with him."

Silabus nodded. "Well, good luck, then. I'll be rooting for you and Haseo!"

"By the way... um, I think I'm gonna go check on Haseo. Do you mind?"

"I'll check on him too," Silabus agreed.

"Sounds like a plan," Alkaid said with a nod. "C'mon! Let's get going!"

**aba**

The next morning was abnormally quiet. Haseo continued to rest where he'd been sleeping all night, while Atoli returned to Mac Anu to check up on her pets. When Haseo finally got out of bed, he came upon the rapid realization that he had to relieve himself... bad.

Searching all over the base for the bathroom, he found it tucked away in a corner near the alchemy room.

When he exited the bathroom, he noticed Silabus and Alkaid conversing. Surprised at this sight, he decided to inquire the two.

"Hey, Silabus. I didn't know you knew her."

"Oh, good morning, Haseo!" Silabus said, waving. "Yeah, Alkaid and I have been friends for a long time... since before she became Emperor. I think it's awesome that she's aiming higher... we haven't talked in a while, so we decided to catch each other up."

Haseo smirked. "Y'know, now that I look at you two together, I think you'd make a nice couple."

"H-Haseo!" Silabus blushed, immediately turning away from the Adept. Alkaid's response was a laugh as she said, "Well, yeah, but he's a bit shy when it comes to relationships. I don't think he could handle me!"

"...When you say that, I get the feeling you're talking about something _else_," Haseo muttered, not noticing that a creeping blush was starting to spread on Alkaid's face as well.

"N-no! That's... that's not what I meant, Haseo! You pervert!"

"Well how was I supposed to know that?" Haseo said, shrugging. "I mean, what with how you were acting with Atoli and I yesterday..."

Alkaid's forehead implanted in her hand. "I would've figured you'd know better, Haseo... you of all people."

"...Anyway, we need to get ready for the tournament," Haseo informed. "Let's see... did you check the bracket, Alkaid?"

"I think we're going up against Hiiragi next," Alkaid said. "He's the 5th unit leader in Moon Tree. I wonder how Atoli would feel if she knew who she was going up against."

"Well, she can't be too happy having to face a friend," Haseo said. "But then again, who knows? She might not even like Hiiragi. There _are_ quarrels between guildmates sometimes."

Alkaid nodded. "Yeah. So are we gonna get going or what? Atoli's probably waiting for us."

"Sure, let's go," Haseo agreed.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yeah, a little humor thrown in for posterity's sake. Also, I'm considering pairing up Silabus and Alkaid for this fanfic... I'd like some feedback on that subject if it's at all possible. (I doubt many people will agree, but heck, a girl can dream, can't she?)_

_Next chapter, we get to see Hiiragi in action, as well as Antares' first appearance. (He's gonna be a minor character in this fic, sorry to say, so no lines quite yet.) I might end up throwing in the fight with Nala as well to make sure that the chapter isn't too short. By the way, Hiiragi fans might be disappointed with the next chapter, 'cuz he kind of gets... beaten up. Hehe. o.o_


	15. Humiliation

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Another long chapter, this one features the second and third fights in the Holy Palace tournament. And yes, I know that Haseo acts weird in the fight against Nala. That was intentional._

_Also, before anyone asks about the 'power outage in Lumina Cloth', this is based in a modern/fantasy setting. XD_

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco. D;_

**XV** **Chapter 15: Humiliation** **XV**

"Today marks the second round of the Holy Palace Tournament! Today, we will be introducing a new spectator, the legendary Emperor, Antares! After seeing the previous arena matches that Team Haseo has entered in, he would like to see more of them - let's just say, he's a huge fan! Speaking of Team Haseo, here they come! An unusual occurrence, we have a team who's well on their way to sweeping the ranks and making it all the way to the top!"

"Yeah, shut it, you," Haseo snapped, glaring in the commentator's direction.

"You don't have to be so rude," Alkaid berated.

"You're pretty rude yourself, Alkaid," Atoli pointed out, earning herself a glare from Alkaid.

"And now, on the other end of the ring... we introduce Hiiragi, the Fifth Unit Leader in Moon Tree! Though graceful and perhaps even beautiful on the outside, he - yes, _he_ - possesses a heart of steel to all those who would dare defy him!"

Hiiragi growled as he appeared in the ring. "...I'll kick your ass, you idiot!"

"Trust me, Hiiragi, I've been wanting to do that for a long time," Haseo said. "Anyway, what's up with that look? You a closet homosexual or something?"

"Closet?" Alkaid sneered. "He's flaunting it!"

"He has a strong admiration for Sakaki," Atoli commented. "...A strong admiration, bordering on obsession..."

"Excuse me?" Hiiragi glared in Atoli's direction. "Should you really be saying something like that, girlie? I mean, _you_ don't skimp yourself when it comes to doting on Lord Sakaki!"

"I'm sorry to say, Hiiragi, but you are sorely mistaken," Atoli stated. "My boyfriend is standing right in front of me. And besides, Sakaki's turned into a loon ever since he started talking to that Bordeaux!"

Hiiragi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You've heard about that? Hah! Don't go around spreading rumors about your captain, Atoli!"

"It's not a rumor, though!" Alkaid said. "I _saw _him! Don't _you_ go spouting crap about the rumors being false, you bastard!"

"The ex-Emperor of the Demon Palace, eh?" Hiiragi smirked. "You've got a sharp tongue yourself. But I'm not gonna hold back!"

"You talk too much," Haseo grumbled, drawing his scythe. "Come on! We can't delay this match forever."

The commentator, noticing Haseo's frustration, immediately called for the match to begin. Haseo charged at Hiiragi, preparing to bring down his scythe on his foe when the blade was blocked in between two blades of a metal fan.

Hiiragi laughed. "You think you can just barge in and kill me? Wouldn't that be going against your precious ideals?"

"Don't taunt him too much!" Alkaid warned as she charged after one of Hiiragi's teammates. "He's got an Avatar, and he's not afraid to use it!"

"Avatar? You mean that fighting beast?" Hiiragi snickered. "You honestly think I believe those rumors?"

"They're not rumors, just for your information," Haseo snarled, leaping back and switching to his broadsword. "...They're all real!"

When Haseo attacked, Hiiragi brought up his fan to guard again. However, this time, Haseo's weapon was able to chew through the fan's metal. Hiiragi withdrew his weapon, falling back for a moment before unleashing a spell upon Haseo.

Knocked down by the explosion of boulders, Haseo attempted to get back up, to no avail. Hiiragi's triumphant laughs were silenced when Atoli sent a healing spell at Haseo.

"You... how dare you...!"

The angry captain charged at Atoli, only to realize, too late, that she had switched to the offensive. A tornado spun up, sending Hiiragi flying into the air and shredding at his already skimpy clothes. By the time he returned to the ground, he realized that the clothing on his upper body, as well as most of the clothing on his legs, had been torn off, leaving just enough to cover him up.

"...Atoli!" Hiiragi screamed. The crowd began to roar with laughter, seeing how the attack had only damaged Hiiragi's clothing and not cutting his skin.

Haseo glanced at Atoli, a smirk crossing his face. _Well, that's a tactic I never expected her to use. Smart thinking, Atoli. Now he's distracted._

The next attack _did_ cut Hiiragi's skin. Haseo swapped to his dual swords and attacked, leaving thin red marks on Hiiragi's previously untarnished body. This, of course, infuriated the captain even more. He recklessly charged at Haseo with both fans, even though one of them was broken, and ended up being deflected by Haseo's swords.

Alkaid, having dispatched Hiiragi's teammates, was too busy joining the crowd in laughter to do anything else. Atoli aided Haseo, preparing a water spell to strike Hiiragi. In addition to being knocked down, wounded, and almost naked, Hiiragi was completely soaked. Haseo couldn't help but snicker a little at the absurd sight.

"Any more humiliation and he's going to forfeit," Atoli remarked.

"I think he's considering it already," Haseo agreed.

"No way in hell I'm gonna give up unless you beat me fair and square!" Hiiragi growled, picking himself up and preparing to attack once again. Haseo dodged to the side, whacking Hiiragi on the back of the head with the flat of his sword.

Seeing the captain slump to the ground, knocked out, Haseo smirked. "Well, we sure beat him fair and square."

"We certainly did," Atoli said with a nod.

"And so, after much entertainment provided at the expense of Hiiragi, Team Haseo arrives the victor!" The commentator himself struggled to keep from bursting into laughter. "Now, as their thoroughly humiliated and properly defeated foes leave the battle ring, Team Haseo rejoices at their victory!"

"That was a great match, Atoli!" Alkaid said as she stowed her swords. "I have to admit, it was kinda fun watching you and Haseo beating up on Hiiragi like that."

Atoli smiled. "Thank you, Alkaid. It was originally supposed to simply be a counterattack, but then I got that idea in my head..."

"Well, it was a great idea," Haseo agreed. "...Man, now I'm all tuckered out. Let's head back and discuss things."

"Your place?" Atoli suggested.

Haseo looked away. "Well, I was hoping that we could go to Canard, but on the other hand, you still have to take care of your pets, right?"

"Yeah," Atoli said. "I don't want Ren to mess in the house because we've been away too long."

"Good point," Haseo said. "Let's head back to my place, then. I'll invite Silabus over too..."

Alkaid blushed. "W-wait, you don't mean that..."

"The hell gave you that idea?" Haseo muttered. "Hey, he's my friend too. And someone's gotta stay behind to take care of the guild, so that would leave Gaspard. He's pretty good at handling things now, since the guildmaster is almost always absent."

"It reminds me a little of Moon Tree," Atoli observed. "Lord Zelkova is almost never around... more often than not he's adventuring with Kaede."

Haseo nodded. "Anyway, let's get going, then. Atoli, Alkaid, I'm taking you both with me. And don't worry, Alkaid. I won't get too mushy with Atoli in front of you."

"Don't worry about it," Alkaid said. "Your bond is strong enough that I can feel it anyway. So go ahead, be mushy all you want!"

"We wouldn't want to be rude," Atoli insisted. "But if it's really okay with you... we usually spend time together when we're both at his house anyhow..."

"So then, Haseo's home!" Alkaid said. "It's in Mac Anu, right? Let's go!"

**aba**

As soon as Alkaid entered the house, she noticed a presence. Before she could get very far, however, she was knocked over by a rather large puppy, who was wagging his tail incessantly. She tried to push the dog off of herself, but hesitated, not wanting to hurt him. Atoli quickly came in and restrained the dog before Alkaid could get her face licked off.

"You sure have a friendly dog there, Atoli!" Alkaid commented. "Does he usually do that to people when he first meets them?"

Atoli nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. It's a habit I've been wanting to break him of..."

"I say let him do what he wants," Alkaid said. "It's not hurting anybody, unless they don't like dogs, of course."

"Yes, but still..."

Their brief conversation was interrupted when Haseo and Silabus walked in. Haseo took up his spot lounging on the sofa, while Silabus chose a nearby chair, so as to avoid disturbing the others.

"Looks like Silabus and I aren't the only victims of that dog," Haseo remarked, seeing Alkaid trying to wipe dog saliva off of her face. "Don't worry, he's not gonna hurt you. He's just a little excitable."

Alkaid laughed. "Yeah, I found that out the hard way. I don't mind, though. I think it's kinda cute that Atoli likes dogs."

"Y'know, for wanting to kill him a while ago, you sure seem to be getting along pretty well with Haseo," Silabus observed. "I guess that people really can change a lot..."

"Well, I got my explanation from him," Alkaid said. "And I've forgiven him for his little mistake back there. It was just a mistake, after all... by the way, Silabus-"

Silabus smiled. "I know all about their relationship. Don't worry."

Alkaid glanced at Atoli, who was tending to her pets. "You know how pets have sympathetic connections with their owners, right? Couldn't you just tell your dog not to jump people?"

"I've tried," Atoli replied. "He listens to orders such as 'don't mess in the house' and 'don't attack the birds', but when it comes to these kinds of things he just gets too excited."

"Well, that's too bad," Alkaid said. "Speaking of not messing in the house, didn't you say something about that while we were at the arena? Aren't you gonna take him out or something?"

"Well, that was next on my list of things to do," Atoli said. "Unless you want to take him out, Alkaid..."

Alkaid quickly shook her head. "No thank you! Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against your dog, but I'm not sure _he _wouldn't be the one walking _me!_"

Restraining her laughter, Atoli finished her chore and moved on to walking Ren. While she was away, Alkaid took the opportunity to explore the house.

"Y'know, Haseo, this place is pretty clean," Alkaid noted. "Was it always this way?"

"Well, not really," the Adept replied. "Atoli thinks she suddenly needs to play the housewife 'cuz she's living with me now. I don't know why."

"Maybe it's preparation for when you two get married!" Alkaid remarked, making Haseo blush profusely.

"What... what the hell do you mean! We're not getting married anytime soon!"

Silabus glanced over, a smile on his face. "I think you two make an excellent couple, Haseo. You should get married after your business is done."

"...Not you too, Silabus..." Haseo muttered, hanging his head. "...Anyway, the next person up in the tournament is Moon Tree's 4th unit leader, Nala. I don't know what to think about that guy... just from the description of him, he sounds pretty suspicious."

"I can't say I trust him any further than you do," Alkaid said. "But if he's from Moon Tree, he's gotta be pretty tough. I think it's gonna be a great fight."

Haseo sighed. "Yeah, as long as he doesn't forfeit too soon."

"Why is Moon Tree getting involved in this tournament in the first place?" Silabus pondered. "Normally they're strict pacifists, but first Hiiragi and now Nala... not to mention those rumors about Sakaki hanging out with a member of Kestrel... I wonder what's going on..."

"...I've got a bad feeling about this," Haseo said. "And I mean, a real bad feeling. I hope that feeling's not a premonition..."

**aba**

Lumina Cloth was unusually quiet. There weren't many people walking through the city, and the lights, which would normally have been blinding in full daylight, had been dimmed considerably. Haseo was surprised at this development... even during the day, the city would usually be filled with people.

"Huh... wonder what's going on."

Alkaid sighed. "Well, it's probably just one of those security checks. They probably noticed your Avatar finally."

"And is there anything _they_ can do about it?" Haseo questioned angrily.

"Probably not," Alkaid said. "I wouldn't worry about saving your own hide. If they come after you, your Avatar will be more than enough to fight them off. As for the commoners... they're probably gonna have to deny having seen it."

"Ugh..." Haseo growled. "Those bastards... if there's any way I can stop them, I sure as hell am gonna do it."

"Anyway, let's see if the arena's still open," Alkaid suggested. She had no sooner opened her mouth than the lights around Lumina Cloth began to brighten again. Shielding her eyes from the sudden influx of light, she voiced her confusion. "What the hell just happened?"

"All inhabitants of the city, please return to your normal locations. The source of the outage has been determined-"

Alkaid blinked. "A power outage! That's what was going on. They were using generators all over the city just to keep it running!"

"Does Lumina Cloth normally have these kinds of... technical difficulties?" Haseo inquired.

"Not normally," Alkaid said. "Something big must've happened."

"Do you think they'll postpone the tournament?" Atoli asked.

"Probably not," Alkaid replied. "It's unlikely that they'll postpone the match because of a little power outage."

"...The arena in Lumina Cloth is now up and running. We apologize for the inconvenience."

"Well, that was exciting," Haseo muttered, stepping up to the counter. "...Huh? This bracket says..."

Alkaid followed him, curious. "Something wrong, Haseo?"

"We're gonna be fighting Bordeaux in the finals," Haseo said. "...Damn. I was hoping to be able to take her on someplace else..."

"Bordeaux, huh," Alkaid said. "Well, that shouldn't be too much of a worry. I mean, you can use your Avatar on her and remove the AIDA, right?"

Haseo looked down. "Yeah, but..."

"But what?"

"...It's not a guarantee. Epitaph Users are vulnerable to AIDA too... it's possible that I'll get sealed."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Alkaid insisted. "You never would've gotten this far if you weren't as strong as you are."

"...Thanks," Haseo said. "...At this point, I think I'll need all the support I can get."

Atoli smiled. "Then I'll help you, Haseo! I don't care what happens, you're my boyfriend, so I'm going to help you until the end!"

"Atoli..." Haseo turned, a surprisingly gentle look in his eyes. "...I'm grateful... for everything. I mean it."

"Haseo... you're welcome," Atoli said. "...And... I love you."

Haseo stepped forward, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I love you too, Atoli. Now... be careful in this match, alright?"

"I will!"

**aba**

"Spectators from all around the world have been waiting heatedly for this moment! The semi-finals of the Holy Palace Tournament are about to begin!"

Haseo looked up at the commentator's booth, growling. "That jerk... I'll make sure he pays for this someday..."

"Please, calm down, Haseo," Atoli stated, placing a hand on his shoulder. Haseo immediately turned away.

"...Uh, anyway... as you can see, Team Haseo has made it to the semi-finals. Their two-rank sweep is well on its way to conclusion! With the former Emperor of the Demon Palace, as well as a renowned member of the Moon Tree guild, backing him, Haseo certainly has a formidable set of teammates!"

The commentator paused before continuing. "...And on the other end of the ring, Moon Tree's Fourth Unit Leader, the mysterious Nala! A man with an aura of strength, he is, at the same time, a pacifist! Why, then, does he fight in this tournament today? Does he perhaps have some... ulterior motive?"

"Ah, it's you." The elderly-looking man stepped forward, his tone calm and collected. "Now, now. Don't give me that look. You know just as well as I that this tournament will decide Atoli's fate."

Haseo scowled. "...How the hell did you know that!"

"Let's just say I'm... associated with some friends of yours," Nala replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me. The battle is going to begin in a couple of moments. Are you afraid to fight me, boy?"

"Hell no!" Haseo replied sharply, drawing his scythe.

"Alright then," the commentator called. "Let the match... begin!"

Nala's weapon of choice was a massive lance; Haseo knew that this weapon would be able to outreach his scythe, but he knew a tactic to get around that difficulty... a tactic that was known to all combatants, be they young or old. Haseo's speed, as an Adept, was far superior to Nala's, and he calculated the outcome of an attempted back attack.

He predicted the chances of defeating Nala with the advantage of speed were approximately 78%. High enough to take a chance.

"...Nala's downfall is gonna be his speed. He can't run that fast with that huge lance."

"You didn't need to point that out," Alkaid said. "So, Haseo, what do you want me to do?"

Haseo smirked. "Try and get behind him. With you on my side, that increases my chance of victory to 93%."

Deciding to save her surprise for later, Alkaid charged forward, swiftly dodging Nala's spear and getting behind him. Haseo went after Nala's two teammates, quickly taking them out with a flick of his scythe. He then turned to Nala himself, charging at him and preparing to attack.

Nala turned, leaving himself open for one split second - intentionally. Haseo took the opportunity and struck, knocking down his foe.

"What the..."

"What's wrong, Haseo?" Alkaid questioned, preparing to stow her weapons. "Is he not down yet?"

"It's not that," Haseo said. "It's just... he did that on purpose... he lost to me on purpose!"

"He's too badly injured to continue fighting," Atoli observed. "But... why? Why did he do that...?"

"Claim your victory," Nala said simply, before leaving the ring.

"What!" the commentator exclaimed in surprise. "The match is over... _already!_ You've got to be kidding me! Nala has forfeited, and Team Haseo has won the match!"

"Damn that Nala..." Haseo growled, turning and leaving. Alkaid looked at Atoli, who seemed equally displeased.

"With Nala's strength, he could've put up a much better fight," Atoli said. "I know this for a fact... I can't blame Haseo for being angry. What is Nala thinking?"

Alkaid sighed. "Well, nothing we can do about it now. The match is over with, and..." She remembered something. "Wait, didn't Haseo say 'chance of victory is 93%' or something? What the hell was up with _him_?"

"...I don't know," Atoli said. "I think Haseo told me one time that he did good in math class, but..."

"I guess it doesn't matter now," Alkaid muttered. "Let's just head back. We can complain about Nala being stupid and Haseo acting weird later."

Atoli nodded. "Y-yes..."

**abcba**

_Author's Notes: Yeah, I have some plans for Nala that I haven't quite gone through with. (Although, for those of you who have played Reminisce, he's not the same person.)_

_Next up is... a surprise! I'm not telling what happens ;D_


	16. Twin

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: This is going to be a pretty short interlude, but you get to see the fight with Gorre, which is done differently than in the games. Also, another storyline deviation - one which you Alkaid fans might actually like!_

_Disclaimer: I swear I don't own anything. Nothing! NOTHING! D;_

**XVI** **Chapter 16: Twin** **XVI**

"...So we're gonna be going up against Bordeaux in the finals."

Having stripped himself of his armor, Haseo was now wearing tight leather clothing, which was considerably skimpier than Alkaid would've preferred. She wasn't interested in seeing him that scantily clad. However, she had turned her attention away from him, and toward Silabus, who had once again decided to hang out at Haseo's house.

"Bordeaux, huh," Alkaid said. "She's infected with AIDA, right? That means I can't participate in the match..."

"And neither can you, Atoli," Haseo said. "...I'm sorry, but it's true."

Atoli smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'll stay home with Ren. He needs the attention anyway... I've been away for so long that he's starting to get sad."

"And you?" Haseo inquired, glancing at Alkaid.

"I'm gonna go back to Icolo for now," Alkaid said. "Nothing more I can do."

Haseo stood. "...Alright, then. That reminds me... I still need to figure out where the other Epitaph Users are. I mean, I haven't seen Endrance since the Demon Palace title match, and I have no clue who the 5th Phase user is..."

"Then you can do that before the finals," Silabus suggested. "Although, I get the feeling you've already met the 5th Phase Epitaph User..."

"...Huh? What do you mean, Silabus?"

"I don't know," Silabus said. "But... you know that boy who came to the guild shop... back when we were making you Canard's guildmaster? I think he might be one of them."

Haseo tilted his head. "...If you felt another presence in his aura, that was probably his sister."

"...Yeah, you're right," Silabus agreed. "I think I'm a little crazy... sorry."

The Adept turned, closing his eyes and thinking. _...But on the other hand, he might be right... I should talk to Bo. Maybe he __**is**__ another Epitaph User... Endrance is another story, though. I don't have any clue where he might be..._

"I guess I'll go see if I can find Bo, then," Haseo said. "I'm not sure if you're crazy or not, Silabus, but on the other hand, you may be absolutely right."

Silabus nodded. "Then, I guess we'll see you later. Goodbye..."

"...Yeah," was Haseo's only response as he left to retrieve his armor. He had a bad feeling about this...

**aba**

"Damn that Haseo... he's such a stuck-up jerk who doesn't care about anyone. I'm gonna beat him down with my own hands!"

She paced in front of the underground lake, waiting for the person she had marked as her enemy. She heard footsteps and perked up, stopping for a moment to observe.

Haseo calmly walked through the Lost Ground, surprised at how magnificent the scenery was. He couldn't get very far, though, before he came across a very enraged little girl.

"...Huh? That's not Bo. It's..."

"My name's Saku, you dirty jerk!" the girl yelled. "And this time, _you're_ gonna be the loser! After beating up Master En like that... I'll never... I'll _NEVER_ forgive you, Haseo!"

"...Saku, right..." Haseo nodded. "That's his twin sister... damn, looks like I'm gonna have to fight her off..."

He felt a spirit presence emanating from Saku's body... an immense one, similar to his own. He stood back for a moment, watching and waiting. He knew that Silabus' words were correct... this person was, indeed, an Epitaph User.

"Oh, you _won't_ beat up Master En like that! Never again! I'll set you straight so you don't even _think_ about touching him!"

Haseo flinched. _Is Saku... infected as well! That spirit power... it's not just the Avatar... it's AIDA!_

He stepped back, watching as pink-colored patternings appeared on Saku's body. Before long, the world around them had crumbled into a familiar empty blackness. Haseo swore under his breath, preparing to summon his own Avatar.

Once he did, though, he noticed something different about Saku's Avatar. It wasn't just one entity - it was two separate ones.

"...Is this... the 5th Phase? Gorre, the Machinator?"

Before Haseo had any more time to voice his thoughts, the Avatar had charged. Haseo ordered Skeith to block Gorre's first attack; however, for a moment, it slipped his mind that there were _two_ parts of Gorre, and not just one. He was forced to slash away the two halves, which had teamed up on him from either side.

"Damn! I should've brought another Epitaph User with me..."

This realization had come too late. Haseo was caught by the blue half of Gorre, and felt his control over Skeith slowly slipping as the pink half battered him. Once he managed to break free of the attack, he decided to watch their movements to see if he could figure out some sort of strategy to use against them.

"This is like fighting two Avatars in one..."

"Haha! So you realize that you're no match for me?" Saku's voice echoed. Bo remained silent, though his spirit presence was still there.

Haseo latched onto Skeith's presence again, ordering it to attack the pink Gorre first. That one seemed to be the more violent and reckless of the two... but he soon noticed that when he knocked back the pink Gorre, the blue Gorre seemed to be injured as well.

"That's it! They're linked, so that means that if I break the barrier of one of them..."

He knew that this plan had a chance of working. Haseo charged forward, striking the pink half of Gorre repeatedly. The Avatar slowly began to fall back, at least until Haseo stopped slashing and fled to catch his breath.

"...Don't just stand there, you brat!" Haseo realized that Gorre was bickering in between its two halves. "Use your spirit drain! That way, you won't lose!"

"But... but Saku, this is Haseo! I don't wanna hurt him!"

"Fine then, I'll use it myself!"

"Saku, no!"

Haseo closed his eyes, awaiting the familiar feeling of the spirit drain enveloping him. However, it never came. Opening his eyes again, he saw that Gorre's blue half had jumped in front of the pink half, seemingly taking the attack for him.

"What in God's name are you doing, Bo! Get out of there or you'll get us both killed!"

"I'm sorry, Saku! I just wanted to help Haseo!"

Much to her dismay, Saku was forced to withdraw the spirit tendrils. Haseo took advantage of Bo's distraction to attack Saku, destroying the barrier so that he could use his own spirit drain. Though both halves of Gorre screamed in pain, Haseo could tell that Bo was happy that he had stopped Saku.

After removing the AIDA, he recalled his Avatar. Saku fell to the ground, immediately switching to Bo.

"...Are you alright?"

There was no response for a moment. Haseo knelt beside Bo, checking his vitals. He could tell that he was still breathing, at least.

"...Haseo?"

Haseo grinned inwardly. Though the attack had knocked out Saku, it hadn't done quite as much damage to Bo. He breathed a sigh of relief, standing up and holding out a hand to help the little boy up.

"...Thank you, Haseo," Bo said as he stood. "Thank you so much. You saved Saku."

"It was nothing," Haseo said. "Besides, I came here looking for the 5th Phase anyhow. I was expecting a battle."

Bo nodded. "Yeah... that's right... I'm an Epitaph User too..."

"You know about them?" Haseo looked curious.

"Yeah," Bo replied. "Well... um, I heard about it from my sister... who learned about it from Endrance. So as soon as I felt Gorre's presence inside me, I knew I was one too... I'm sorry, I should've told you, Haseo..."

"It's alright," Haseo said. "Besides, you hadn't Awakened yet. You wouldn't have been able to use it anyway."

"Anyway, we should get going back to town," Bo suggested. "Why don't we stop by your place?"

Haseo smiled. "...Yeah. I bet Atoli would be happy to see you again."

"Atoli? You don't mean to tell me she's staying with you?"

"Yeah, she is," Haseo said in response. "She's, um... well... never mind."

Bo giggled. "You look embarrassed, Haseo. Do you like her?"

Breathng a sigh, Haseo nodded, turning around to leave. "Yeah. I like her."

_How am I gonna explain it to a kid like him anyhow?_ he wondered.

**aba**

She walked down the stairs, looking left and right. The Lost Ground she was at had a propensity for constant storms, most of which were off in the distance, though the low rumbling of thunder echoing over the swamp could be heard for miles.

Feeling a presence behind her, she whirled, drawing her dual swords just in time to block the attack. The woman standing before her had a thorned, wickedly curved sword, and parts of her body had what looked to be some sort of demonic covering.

"Hey, you! Bordeaux!" Alkaid yelled. "You sent that message just to confuse me, didn'tcha? Hah! Well, I'm not falling for your tricks, you moron!"

Bordeaux leaped back. "Excuse me...? What did you just call me? You know who I am, right? Disrespecting my name will only get you killed!"

"Not in my case," Alkaid said. "Say, what ever happened to that Endrance guy? I could've sworn he disappeared after the title match of the Demon Palace... maybe he's lurking out there somewhere!"

"Why do you bring that up now, you...!" Bordeaux charged, attempting to strike Alkaid once again. However, the agile dual-sword wielder dodged to the side, holding up her weapons to block a subsequent attack.

"You're scared, aren'tcha?" Alkaid taunted. "Just 'cuz I feel the presence of an _Epitaph User_ nearby. You know that AIDA doesn't stand a chance against an Epitaph User... especially not the AIDA in a weakling like you!"

"I'LL _KILL_ YOU!" Bordeaux roared, charging once again and almost breaking Alkaid's guard. Struggling to hold back, the ex-Emperor found herself losing her ground.

A flash of metal was seen and the whistling of a wind-enchanted sword was heard as a black-hued blade knocked Bordeaux off her feet. Alkaid had managed to avoid getting hit... but barely. Panting, she stowed her weapons, looking up.

"...I received your message, Alkaid. Haseo... is looking for me? Well then... I'm taking you back with me."

Before Bordeaux could stand up, a clawed hand wrapped around Alkaid's body. The same massive cat demon that had once defeated Alkaid was now saving her life.

"Endrance!" Alkaid called, looking up at the Avatar that now held her. "Oh, thank God you came in time! I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't gotten here just then!"

"...Let's go, Alkaid," Endrance said quietly. "Let's leave this... monstrosity of a human being. I can't bear to look at her any longer..."

Alkaid nodded. "Yeah! Let's go get Haseo! We need to tell him about this!"

Bordeaux attempted to give chase to the two, but Macha was several times faster than she was. Cursing the Avatar for having stolen what would've been a simple kill, she turned back, returning to town. The arena match was soon... surely she'd have another chance to hunt both Alkaid _and_ Haseo then.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: It took me forever to think of a name for this chapter that would fit in with the single-word-title theme. If it sounds cheesy, feel free to berate me. ;P_

_I hated how Alkaid just simply went comatose without so much as a fight in the games, so I tweaked it to my interest. And I also reintroduced Endrance in my own way... it wouldn't be comfortable if, in real life, you froze yourself at the bottom of a lake. More specifically, you'd die. ;P So yeah, Endrance is back, Sakubo is Awakened and Alkaid survives. Everybody's happy ;D_

_Next up, Skeith fights Oswald! And a turn you probably won't expect... XD_


	17. Killer

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: The fight against Bordeaux that you guys have probably been anticipating. Look out for surprises! Another exceedingly short chapter, but I didn't want to include the prelude to the fight against Sirius. Sorry, guys._

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco. I swear. ;(_

**XVII** **Chapter 17: Killer** **XVII**

"Hey, Haseo. Missed me?"

Alkaid smirked at the expression on the Adept's face. He was surprised, and at the same time grateful... he was worried about any of his friends going to a Lost Ground alone, especially with Bordeaux on the loose.

"Where the hell were you, Alkaid?" Haseo questioned. "All I heard was that you'd gotten a message from someone who said they'd tell you more about Sirius, and..."

"It was all a lie," Alkaid said. "It was Bordeaux trying to set me up. Thankfully, a certain someone saved my ass out there or else I'd never have come back from Coite-Bodher!"

The elegant, blue-haired man stepped up, bowing. "...I came to save Alkaid... after she told me you needed my help. Would you like me... to accompany you to the finals?"

"...Endrance!" Haseo exclaimed. "Well, I'm certainly glad you came. Man, I'd have been strapped for a good team without you..."

"By the way, Haseo..." Endrance began. "...Who else are you going to bring along, aside from me?"

Haseo scratched his head. "Well, I was thinking of bringing along Sakubo, but who knows what'd happen if Saku ended up coming? I don't think she'd be too keen on sharing a team with me. That pretty much leaves just Kuhn and Pi..."

"Excuse me." The tone of voice indicated the latter of the two that Haseo had mentioned. "...I'd like to go with you. Kuhn... has other things to attend to."

"Alright, then," Haseo said, spotting the pink-haired woman stepping up. "Then I guess I'll take Endrance and Pi with me. You gonna be okay with that, Alkaid?"

Alkaid nodded. "Yup! Even if I didn't participate in the title match, just having been part of your team makes me feel a whole lot better!"

"...Yeah," Haseo said. "Now, if you'll excuse me. The finals are gonna start soon, so I have to get going."

"...Haseo said 'excuse me'," Pi remarked, earning herself a glare from him. "How surprising that he'd be polite. I guess Atoli's changed him a lot."

Haseo chose to remain silent, lest he get himself worked up. Turning to the transporter, he left. Pi and Endrance followed, leaving Alkaid by her lonesome.

"I'm so grateful to Endrance for saving my tail back there..."

**aba**

"Here it comes, the moment you've all been waiting for! The Holy Palace Tournament finals are underway! Once again, we have the legendary Emperor, Antares, spectating from the commentator's booth!"

Haseo looked between his two teammates. "...Be careful, you two."

"We will," Pi said with a nod.

"Hah, it seems like the kid's gotten a whole new lineup," Antares observed. "He doesn't have a healer anywhere on his team. That could be a problem!"

"Indeed, it seems so," the commentator agreed. "Alkaid and Atoli have been replaced by... Endrance, the recently overthrown Emperor, and Pi, a member of Kuhn's team during the Demon Palace! What an unexpected development!"

He paused before continuing. "...And on the other end of the ring, here comes Bordeaux, back for revenge against the 'Terror of Death' she so hates! But wait! What's wrong with her? Has she been afflicted with some sort of... demonic curse? I've never seen anything like that before!"

"Oh, I'm disappointed," Bordeaux said as she warped in with her two teammates. "It looks like Alkaid isn't here. But at least my lovely 'Terror of Death' Haseo is here today!" The expression on her face was almost... _evil_. Haseo knew that AIDA affected peoples' emotions, but not to this extent!

"Hey, you," Haseo growled, drawing his scythe. "I heard you tried to kill Alkaid."

Bordeaux laughed. "Oh, I tried. But that damned prettyboy over there stopped me at the last moment! Oh, I'm going to have _so_ much fun beating the crap out of him..."

"...Good luck," Endrance stated. "I don't think you'll get very far."

"The infection is incredibly deep-rooted," Pi said, looking over Bordeaux's body. "It's no wonder that she's acting so strangely... the AIDA has almost completely fused with her."

"That's not good," Haseo said. "It doesn't look like it's gonna be easy to break 'em up, either. Well, let's just give it our all."

"Okay, then!" the commentator shouted. "Let the match... begin!"

Haseo charged, but was forced to bring up his scythe to block an attack from Bordeaux. Her two henchmen, Negimaru and Grein, had joined her on the battlefield as well; Negimaru targeted Endrance, and Grein went after Pi. Endrance was swift to dispatch Negimaru; however, it appeared that Pi was having a little more trouble.

"...He's impervious to my attacks! Endrance, help out a bit?"

"Of course..." Endrance replied, rushing to Pi's side. Though they hadn't developed a bond of friendship, they could still communicate via eye contact, and Pi was telling Endrance to get _behind_ Grein. He complied, and soon they had forced the broadsword-wielder to forfeit.

Bordeaux was the last one remaining on the team. Haseo had his hands full just trying to keep himself from getting killed.

"...Damn it... she's tough... it's not like it was last time, where I could just scare her off..."

Bordeaux laughed evilly. "Oh, are you having some trouble, _little_ Haseo? Am I just a little too _strong_ for the Terror of Death to handle?"

"You..." Haseo snarled, leaping back and switching to his dual swords. "...I'm gonna beat you fair and square this time! I don't care what you say!"

"Try your hardest, little boy," Bordeaux taunted. "Now, let's see how you like this!"

Before Haseo could move an inch, Bordeaux's body had disappeared, replaced by a towering, spiderlike monster. Haseo recognized it immediately as AIDA, and began to call out his Avatar.

"This particular strain is known as 'Oswald'," Pi informed. "...It's fairly rare, but very powerful. Be careful."

"I will," Haseo said. "I'll be as careful as I can with a giant spider trying to kill me."

Pi smirked. "Are you an arachnophobe, Haseo?"

"Excuse me? Of course I'm not!"

"...Right," Pi said. "Just go out there and kill it."

Haseo nodded, keeping his distance from the AIDA while he fired spirit bullets at it. Oswald flinched, caught in the side by the bullets, and Haseo took the opportunity to order Skeith forward and strike. The AIDA fell back, but soon reared up and swiped at Skeith.

"...Damn," Haseo swore, trying to keep his cool as Skeith was knocked back. He recovered quickly, firing at Oswald again; this time, the spider AIDA didn't even flinch. It moved effortlessly through the black expanse, catching Skeith in a web and beginning to drain its power.

_Already...?_ Haseo thought, wondering if he was going to come out of this alive. He struggled to break free of the web, quickly discovering that the spirit threads that the web was composed of were easily destroyed by Skeith's scythe.

However, Haseo had been weakened by Oswald's attack, and Oswald strengthened. Everything had gone downhill in a matter of seconds. Haseo knew now that it was a good idea to bring along two other Epitaph Users...

As usual, Skeith had its own ideas. Partially detaching itself from Haseo, the Avatar charged at Oswald and struck it head-on with its scythe. Haseo was even more aggravated than usual at Skeith's defiance; he thought he'd brought the Avatar under control after all this time!

"...aw, damn it, there he goes again... going off on his own..."

Haseo hated to admit it, but usually when Skeith did this, it fared better in combat. Still, he didn't like the idea that while an Avatar was connected to its user, it could detach itself at will. He wanted to be more understanding of his Avatar... more like Kuhn had been.

"Hey! Skeith! Get back here!"

Reluctantly, the Avatar complied, reforming its bonds with Haseo. This time, he ordered it to fight as it had before. While this confused Skeith, it complied with Haseo's orders.

_...I see... he's the 'Terror of Death', so of course he's gonna be more defiant. Damn thing wants to go off on his own and leave his user behind..._

Haseo spotted the opening in the barrier around Oswald. He ordered Skeith to aim for that hole and tear it open. At this point, it wouldn't be difficult; the barrier was weakened considerably from several attacks. Oswald saw the attack coming and once again bound Skeith, this time in a tougher web.

"Ugh... now it's gonna repair itself..."

Skeith broke free of the webbing almost as soon as it had been caught. Haseo aimed for the hole again and used Skeith's scythe to tear it open, breaking the shell around Oswald and allowing for Skeith to spirit-drain it.

He felt surprisingly energized after recalling the Avatar. It took him a moment to notice that Bordeaux's body was stiff and unmoving on the ground; immediately, he rushed over to her, kneeling beside her and checking for a pulse.

A wave of nausea passed over him when he realized there was none.

"...She's... dead..." Haseo made the observation, horrified at the atrocity that he'd committed. "...I killed her... and... her spirit..."

Pi stepped forward. "...There's still a spirit presence about her. I'd presume she's simply been sealed, and her spirit's left her physical body. That's why she died..."

"...sealed... damn it, why did I have to do this..." Haseo was on the verge of tears. "...wasn't there... anything I could've done... to prevent this!"

"Relax," Pi stated. "You can unseal her. Since you were the one who drained her spirit energy, you can still unseal her if you simply allow her spirit to reattach to her body. But you'll have to do it quickly, otherwise she'll have been dead too long to revive her physical body. In that case... you'd have to simply release her spirit back into its realm."

"How do I do that?" Haseo asked, trying not to panic.

"...Just focus," Pi said. "Close your eyes, and focus. It'll come to you naturally..."

Haseo nodded quickly, doing as he was told. He could still feel Bordeaux's presence floating around inside his mind... tearing that small segment of spirit energy out, he let it go. He prayed that the operation would work.

Bordeaux opened her eyes halfway, breathing in slow, ragged breaths. The AIDA contamination had disappeared, but she was barely awake.

"...hey... next time... don't spare your enemy... you idiot..."

Haseo could feel his nerves settling. "Relax, Bordeaux. I spared you 'cuz I wanted to. I don't care how many people you've killed, or even that you've tried to kill me a few times. Just because you've killed people doesn't make you any less of a person... and now, I know just what kind of person you are on the inside. The reason you started killing people was because you were angry with your own family for how they treated you... but didn't want to take it out on them. Just like Atoli..."

"Hey... how do you know all this?" Bordeaux questioned.

"Because I felt your memories inside me," Haseo replied. "For that short time your spirit was sealed within me, I knew exactly how you felt. Just... next time, try not to kill anybody out of frustration, okay?"

Bordeaux dragged herself to her feet and turned away. "I'm not listening to you, Haseo. Not once in my life!"

"...Fine then, so be it," Haseo said. "I'm surprised you're not more grateful that I spared you... oh well. Maybe next time, the fight will be that much better."

Scowling, the blade-wielding woman left the battle ring. Pi tilted her head, surprised at how Haseo had acted.

"You treated her kindly even though she was shouting at you the entire time... you must've really changed."

"...No, it's just I have a fondness for kids," Haseo admitted, laughing. "Her real name's Nina Kircheis, and she's 14 years old. Younger than me... I guess I kinda felt sympathy for her as well because her story was a lot like Atoli's."

"So she's not from here..." Pi observed.

Haseo nodded. "Yeah. That kind of name isn't seen anywhere around here. Wonder where she's from..."

**abcba**

_Author's Note: No, Haseo isn't going to run off with Bordeaux. Trust me._

_Anyway, next chapter we get to face off against Sirius. And a certain friend of ours comes back... for a moment. Read on to find out!_


	18. Brilliance

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: I guess I should apologize for the short chapter lengths as of late. I'm trying not to make them too long, which is what would happen if I included too many scenes. ;( Speaking of which, I had to clip out a scene for rating. Hope you guys don't mind. XD_

_Also, Kuhn's back for a little while. He's not gonna get a lot of spotlight until Volume 3, though._

_Disclaimer: I swear I don't own anything. Although... -cough- I really wish I owned Haseo... -coughcough- I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!... oh wait, that joke's been used before. Drat. Anyway, yeah, I don't own anything._

**XVIII** **Chapter 18: Brilliance** **XVIII**

The moment he entered Lumina Cloth, he was greeted by a smiling, blue-marked face. "Hey there, Haseo! Long time no see! You've been pretty busy, huh?"

"...Yeah," Haseo muttered in response. "Hey, Kuhn. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Well..." Kuhn sighed. "...It looks like Pi's got some business of her own to attend to, so she can't accompany you to the title match. I'm going with you instead, as long as you don't mind."

"Better than Saku," Haseo grumbled. Kuhn raised an eyebrow at this, surprised.

"Saku? You mean she's an Epitaph User too?"

Haseo glared. "You didn't get my report? I had to fight her 'cuz she was infected with AIDA. And then she summoned an Avatar on me..."

"I'll take a wild guess and say it was Gorre," Kuhn said.

"It was," Haseo said, nodding. "Man, that's not the first time an Avatar's beaten the crap out of me..."

"I'd imagine it was pretty tough fighting it alone," Kuhn commented. "After all, Gorre's supposed to be two halves of a whole. But you managed to defeat it, huh? Good going, Haseo. Anyway, let's sign up for the title match... I heard about Endrance."

Haseo began to walk toward the arena counter, but stopped halfway there when he heard a yelp of surprise and a loud _thud_ as someone was knocked to the street. He turned, seeing Silabus laying on top of Kuhn in a rather compromising position.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kuhn! I-I didn't mean to knock you over!"

Kuhn laughed, gently pushing Silabus off of himself and standing up. "It's alright, Silabus. Good to see you again."

"Good to see you too, Kuhn," Silabus said, a broad smile on his face. "Are you going to participate in the tournament with Haseo?"

"Yeah," Kuhn replied. "...We can't afford to lose this one, though. There are a lot of things at stake this round... including Atoli's life."

Haseo snarled. "...If what Kuhn says is true, then..."

"Hey, Haseo," Kuhn said. "Do you know where Endrance is?"

"He should be coming soon," Haseo responded, turning back to the counter and walking up the steps leading to it. "It's almost time for the match anyhow. If Endrance is late, then it'll just be you and me, Kuhn."

"He's here," Silabus observed, glancing toward the gate. Sure enough, the elegant young man had appeared, walking toward the arena counter.

"...Alright, then," Haseo said. "Let's go..."

Kuhn placed a hand on Haseo's shoulder. "Don't worry, it'll be alright! I'm sure we'll be able to help Atoli."

"...Yeah, I guess..." Haseo responded halfheartedly, hanging his head.

"What's the matter, Haseo?" Kuhn inquired, concerned.

"...Never mind," Haseo said. "I'll tell you after the match."

Kuhn nodded. "Okay, then. Sorry if I bothered you."

"It's fine," Haseo said. "Now, let's go."

"Right!" Kuhn nodded quickly.

**aba**

"Today marks a moment in the whole world's history that will never be forgotten! Ladies and gentlemen, the title match of the Holy Palace Tournament is underway! Here we introduce the challengers, the one and only, the eye of the hurricane, Team Haseo!"

Haseo stared ahead, watching the other end of the arena. "Today, we fight the AIDA that's infected Sirius..."

"Yeah," Kuhn said. "You'd better do good out there, Haseo... for Atoli and for the rest of us."

"...Don't worry, I will," Haseo stated. "I'm not gonna let her down... I'm not gonna let anyone down... not anymore!"

"And now... here he comes, the shining star of the Holy Palace, Emperor Sirius! The blue wolf howls at tonight's full moon, shaking the arena down to its foundation!"

As Sirius entered, Haseo could feel the powerful dark aura radiating from him. Antares, sitting in the commentator's booth, watched the Emperor, surprised at his transformation.

"Sirius has changed. I can tell by the glint in his eyes! It's almost like he's controlled by a demon!"

Sirius stood between his teammates, which Haseo could've sworn he _recognized_. A tall, half-naked man with a muscular build, and a man with silver hair and half-stripped wings, who wore armor plating over his entire body. Both looked as if they had been pieced together, not really alive, but more like animated dolls or perhaps even zombies.

"...Those two look like Tri-Edge... I wonder if they're..."

"Related to Tri-Edge?" Kuhn suggested. "Well, it's not impossible. They sure as hell look like him."

"It doesn't matter now," Endrance said. "...We should target Sirius..."

"Alright, then," the commentator called, sounding as dramatic as ever. "...Let the match... BEGIN!"

Sirius made the first move. He charged at Haseo, who quickly brought up his scythe to guard; however, Sirius broke through Haseo's guard, throwing him against the arena wall. Endrance rushed to Haseo's side, attempting to administer medical attention... the Adept wasn't responding.

"...Damn it!" Kuhn swore. "Not Haseo..." He aimed his rifle at Sirius and fired, only to have the blast knocked away by one of Sirius' gauntlets. The gunman attempted to remain calm, even though he was overwhelmed by Sirius' power.

"...Haseo!" Endrance called. "Haseo, please, don't die on us... we need you!"

Haseo slowly opened his eyes, rubbing the back of his head. When he looked through blurred vision at the hand he'd used, all he could see was an unnatural scarlet color. He realized that the damage to his body was teetering on the edge of being lethal.

He coughed out blood, trying to focus on the scene ahead of him. Endrance tried using healing magic, which, thankfully, worked. However, Haseo was still wobbly on his feet when he stood.

"...Sirius..." he growled, using his own healing magic to recover his strength. "...I'm not gonna let you do that... to just anyone you see. You nearly cracked my skull open..."

"Haseo!" Kuhn glanced back, but only for a split second; he knew that the match was more important than his companion's revival. "...Haseo, you scared the crap out of me there. Can you still fight?"

"...Yeah, I can fight," Haseo snarled. "...I can fight better than this. I'm gonna take Sirius down... and _out!_"

Kuhn realized that Haseo's aura had flared up with anger. He tried to stay away from the furious Adept, watching as he recklessly charged at Sirius. A single scythe attack was enough to launch Sirius back in a similar manner; the Emperor collided with the arena wall, but quickly picked himself back up.

"Next time, be more careful, Haseo," Kuhn warned. "This guy's out of control. There's no way you're gonna stop him unless you use your Avatar."

"...Then I'll do that," Haseo said. "I'll use my Avatar if it means getting that Phase back. I don't care what happens!"

Endrance realized that Haseo's hair was still stained with blood. The wound had been healed, but he wondered to himself if Haseo was still injured on the inside... his question was proven wrong when Haseo called forth his Avatar, not listening to Kuhn's pleading.

"Don't do that, Haseo! It'll only make things worse!"

"Can't you feel it, Kuhn?" Haseo questioned. "If I don't use my Avatar, he's never gonna let go of the Phase. And he's not gonna let go of the AIDA, either! I'll get killed if I don't use the Avatar!"

"...You have a point," Kuhn admitted. "...Alright then. I'll let you use your Avatar. Just... be careful, alright?"

"I'll be fine," Haseo insisted. "Sirius may have nearly killed me, but Endrance healed me, so I'll be fine."

Kuhn tilted his head. "You sure you don't have any brain injuries?"

"No, I don't," Haseo said. "If I did, I'd be in a lot worse shape."

"...oh, fine," Kuhn muttered. "Go ahead."

Haseo watched as Sirius summoned his AIDA's power. He recognized the shape of the fish-like being from when it had stolen the Phase from Atoli... the memory empowered his rage. Charging forward seconds after the AIDA monster appeared, he ordered Skeith to slash at it with its scythe.

"You're _not_ getting away with this!" Haseo roared, tearing into the fish-monster with Skeith's scythe. It flinched, falling back for a moment before countering with a number of small energy beams fired from its side.

Skeith was struck by the beams, quickly being knocked down. Haseo wasn't about to give up, though. He ordered Skeith to attack again, and this time the AIDA struggled to keep its protective barrier up. Skeith was rapidly overpowering it.

"...Haseo, watch out!" Kuhn warned, but realized that it was too late. Spirit-draining tendrils had already encircled Skeith, slowly leeching its immense power. Haseo struggled to break free, but was unable.

The protective barrier around the AIDA began to rebuild as well. Skeith's, on the other hand, was weakening.

Kuhn turned to Endrance. "...Come on. We both have to use our Avatars to help Haseo. He's gonna get himself killed... this AIDA's too strong to be a plain old Helen."

"...That's fine by me," Endrance stated, closing his eyes. "_Macha!_"

"Come on! _Magus!_"

Haseo had finally managed to free himself from the AIDA's spirit drain; however, he was too weak to fight any longer. He didn't notice the other two Avatars closing in on the AIDA, and was surprised when it let out a high-pitched shriek.

"Haseo!" Endrance called. "We're coming to help you!"

"We're not gonna let you lose!" Kuhn shouted. "Not this time!"

"...thanks, guys," Haseo said, feeling strength returning to his body.

The AIDA was surrounded, with no means of escape. Its protective barrier had been damaged, and would soon break if it didn't do anything. In an act of desperation, it sent out a burst of small spirit bullets out from its sides. The attack did minimal damage to Magus, but was able to stun Skeith and Macha.

"It's up to me now," Kuhn observed grimly. "...Damn, and I was hoping that Haseo would be able to use his own spirit drain on this one..."

Ordering his Avatar to attack, Kuhn waited for the sound of the barrier breaking. Sure enough, it did, and he wasted no time in giving Magus another order to remove the AIDA from existence. With the AIDA, Sirius' two allies disappeared as well.

Once Haseo had managed to steady himself again, he recalled his Avatar. Endrance did the same, and after Kuhn had finished spirit-draining, he did as well.

"There you have it," Kuhn said as he touched down. "...Normally it's not safe to summon more than one Avatar at a time, but this was a dangerous situation. If Endrance and I hadn't distracted the AIDA, you would've never made it out alive, Haseo."

Haseo nodded. "Is Sirius alright?"

"Yeah," Kuhn said, glancing over at the fallen Emperor. "...And so is Atoli's Phase. It'll return to her on its own."

"Unbelievable!" the arena commentator called. "Sirius has been defeated, and at the hands of three fighting beasts seen in the Demon Palace! Let us congratulate Team Haseo on their victory... are they going to challenge the Sage Palace next, I wonder?"

"The kid did pretty good out there!" Antares said. "If he's able to beat Sirius, then he's on his way to a triple-crown! Ah ha ha!"

Haseo sighed, still exhausted from the fight. "...We should head back before Atoli gets worried."

"Worried?" Kuhn tilted his head. "Why would she be worried? She wasn't even watching the match today. She probably doesn't even know her Phase has returned to her."

"...She knows everything," Haseo stated. "Including... how badly I was hurt."

"Oh, I see," Kuhn said. "So that's how it is. I guess you two, um... consummated, then, huh?"

"...Let's just go back," Haseo grumbled, obviously both annoyed and embarrassed.

"Alright, alright!" Kuhn said, laughing. "Let's go see Atoli. I'm sure she'll be glad to see you're okay."

**aba**

The moment Haseo entered his house, he looked around. Atoli was sitting on the sofa, looking frightened.

"...Atoli, it's fine. I'm alright."

"H-Haseo...!" Atoli's nerves settled, and she ran over to Haseo and hugged him. "I was... I was so worried about you... I'm just glad you're okay..."

"Yeah," Haseo said, hugging her back. "...And we got your Avatar back. Once you Awaken, you'll be able to help us out even more."

Atoli leaned closer to Haseo, grateful for his presence. "...oh, thank God you're okay... I don't know what I could've done without you..."

"Kuhn came and paid a visit, too," Haseo said. "...Endrance went off on his own before we came here, so I don't think he'll be coming."

Kuhn waved, stepping inside. "Hey there, Atoli! I know you were worried about Haseo, but he's just fine, okay?"

"Thank you, Kuhn," Atoli said, letting go of Haseo. "It's good to see you again. You've been really busy lately, haven't you?"

"...Yeah," Kuhn said, looking away. "...I know Haseo's gonna kill me if I say why, but..."

Atoli lifted her head. "Is it about Mira?"

When Kuhn nodded, he received an immediate glare from Haseo. "H-hey, now, don't kill me! This is important to me!"

"You mean, all this time you were ignoring your responsibility just so you could try and have a kid?" Haseo growled. "You little...!"

"I got leave from Yata," Kuhn said. "He says that you're my replacement, Haseo. And he seems to understand better than Pi..."

"Besides, Haseo, it would be hypocritical of you to get angry with him for that," Atoli pointed out.

"...hey, I thought you were the one who said not to tell anyone," Haseo complained.

Atoli shrugged. "Didn't Kuhn guess?"

"Now I kinda regret it..." Haseo muttered, turning away.

Kuhn cleared his throat. "Anyway... we should start working on getting Atoli Awakened. We don't want to hurt her, so it's gonna be pretty tough, but..."

"Let's not worry about that right now," Haseo said. "Right now, we should worry more about our next move. Sirius has been cleansed of AIDA, and Atoli's Phase has been returned to her, but... we don't have any clue what we have to do next."

"Right now, I guess we should train some to make sure that AIDA doesn't catch us off-guard," Kuhn suggested.

Atoli began to walk toward the door. "If you'll excuse me, I have something I need to do. I'm sorry, Haseo... I'll be back soon, okay?"

"That's fine," Haseo said. "Something to do with Moon Tree?"

"Yes," Atoli replied. "It shouldn't take long, though. I've been meaning to ask Sakaki some questions regarding why he was talking to Bordeaux..."

"...Sakaki, huh..." Haseo looked displeased. _I'm gonna let her go for now. After all, I'm damn sure that if Sakaki even tries to lay a finger on her, she won't be too pleased._

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yeah, I think we all know what happened in between this chapter and the last. ;P_

_Don't worry, Haseo's fine. He just got knocked over the head, and he'll be better soon. Speaking of which... next up, how I think the Moon Tree incident SHOULD'VE gone, and a little surprise as well!_

_Also, I'm almost caught up with where I've scribbled. If I don't stop posting them at the rate I've been, then I'll have to stop updating for a while until I have enough written. XD If that happens, then I'd like some feedback on the current chapters... please? ;)_


	19. Confess

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: I have a terrible lack of inspiration when it comes to fight scenes, so please forgive the poor quality of my action. XD Anyway, yeah, this chapter features Sakaki's betrayal... and read on for more!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I really don't! I swear! D;_

**XIX** **Chapter 19: Confess** **XIX**

"Sakaki, I want to know."

Atoli stepped up to her superior, a stern look on her face. "Why, exactly, were you associating with that woman from Kestrel?"

"Shouldn't it be obvious?" Sakaki said. "It's because I was trying to cleanse her of her infection."

"So you wanted her to go up against Haseo in the tournament?" Atoli said. "Well... I guess that's believable, but..."

Sakaki looked down at Atoli. "...But what?"

"You've been acting very strangely ever since you started talking to Bordeaux," Atoli replied. "...It's hard to describe, but... you've been unsociable, and you barely even respond to my questions. Why is that?"

"...Tell me, Atoli. Do you know how a virus operates?"

"A virus? Why?"

Sakaki smirked. "Well, most viruses have an incubation period. They remain in your body for a period of time before they begin to spread and produce symptoms. However, there is one virus that doesn't have an incubation period... and also doesn't afflict the body, but rather the spirit. Do you know what that is?"

"AIDA?" Atoli inquired.

"Yes, AIDA," Sakaki said with a nod. "It only remains dormant in those who possess a particularly strong spiritual will... some individuals, such as Endrance and Sirius, had a short incubation period before the AIDA began to afflict them. However, they weren't aware of the AIDA dwelling inside them. After all, it _is_ difficult to pick out the inner aura of an AIDA from an individual's own when it's still dormant."

He paused for a moment. "...And in my case, it was just as difficult. You see, Atoli... I have an AIDA lying within me... but it's still dormant. It won't come out unless it needs to... such as in self-defense."

Atoli fell silent. _Come to think of it, it does feel like he has a malicious swirl in his aura... but I never would've guessed it would be..._

"...Atoli, do you know how dangerous AIDA can be when combined with an Epitaph User's Avatar?" Sakaki questioned. "Who am I kidding, you've seen it before with Endrance and Macha. AIDA is dangerous... do you know what that means? Tell me what that means, Atoli."

"Since you have an AIDA inside of you, does that mean... it has to be removed?" Atoli said. "...But I don't have an Avatar... or should I say, I can't use mine yet..."

"Listen to me, Atoli." Sakaki seemed to be getting rather excited. "AIDA is not always dangerous. A man told me recently that if you gather the Eight Phases, you will come upon the truth that you desire. That truth is called the 'Key of the Twilight'... so named after that which appeared in the Epitaph. What I look for is peace and unity amongst all individuals in the world... but I can't achieve that unless I gather the Eight Phases. However... there is another way to obtain that peace and unity... using AIDA's power to control individuals and make them subconsciously linked, thus unable to fight each other... and to cast aside human emotions, thus making the whole world see only one, united perspective. With AIDA, I have no need for the Eight Phases. Spreading AIDA throughout the land... will make true something that could only happen if one found the 'Key of the Twilight'."

Atoli stepped back. "...Sakaki, don't you understand that AIDA is malevolent? There is nothing good that could come of infecting everyone in the world with AIDA. Even if you tried to erase all human emotions, AIDA would still possess the dark side of humanity, and with its power... that could lead to an extinction of the human race as we know it!"

"You need not worry, Atoli," Sakaki said. "Everything is planned perfectly. I have found my 'Key of the Twilight'... and that key is AIDA!"

"...I'm afraid we can't agree on this subject," Atoli stated. "I'm not going to be your pawn to use in world domination. I don't care how much I trusted you before... you've betrayed my trust. You've swept my heart away with the dust on the floor... you always claimed to believe in me, but that was all for naught! You just wanted me to be your pawn!"

"Oh?" Sakaki raised an eyebrow. "And how did you discern that?"

"You aren't even denying it!" Atoli said, her spirit filling with rage. "You just used me... trying to make me trust you! I told you I never wanted to be hurt again... but did you listen? No! My heart... my heart will only accept those who don't feed it lies!"

A chill went up her spine. She realized her anger was starting to take control of her body... Sakaki's betrayal had been too much for her to handle. She remembered how kindly Haseo had treated her... how he had loved her, cared for her, and given her affection, without the slightest falsehood. She remembered how all of Haseo's friends had treated her like she was a human being... and not just a pawn. Silabus, Alkaid, Kuhn, Gaspard, even Pi and Yata... they had all treated her as if she was on an equal level with them. She knew that the only people she could trust were the ones who didn't lie to her. And that _didn't_ include Sakaki.

"...Sakaki, I won't let you hurt everyone I ever trusted. I won't let you turn this world into a land of mindless zombies or people who kill each other for no reason. I won't let you do anything... like that... for Haseo... and all his friends...! Haseo... I want to... help you...!"

A horrible pain began to radiate through every nerve in her body. She didn't try to hold it back... darkness was slowly claiming her as she remembered everything that had happened up until then. The pain faded into power as the demon dwelling in her spirit finally opened its eyes.

"..._Haseo!_"

"Oh?" Sakaki laughed. "You'd choose to turn against me for the sake of that fool? Hah! I won't let you lay a finger on me!"

He no longer felt the need to suppress the AIDA. Letting its power course through his spirit, he unleashed it forcefully, causing the birdlike AIDA to appear in a physical form. He glared back at Atoli, who had transformed into a magnificent Avatar.

"You won't get away with this, Sakaki!" Atoli screamed, sending a veritable storm of spirit bullets down upon Sakaki. The AIDA flinched, having been paralyzed; Atoli took the opportunity to attack, ordering her Avatar to attack. A blur of motion, Innis slashed at Sakaki's AIDA from all sides with its two blades, then drifted back, sending another burst of bullets at Sakaki.

The AIDA dodged this barrage, charging at Atoli and attacking with its wings. Feeling the pain of AIDA striking Avatar only fueled Atoli's anger; her Avatar vanished from Sakaki's sight, blurring into several copies around him. Naturally, the AIDA panicked, sending out a number of homing missiles, which flew out wildly in all directions.

Innis wasn't one to fall for that kind of trick, however. It slashed away the missiles, charging once again at the AIDA and attacking from all directions. Sakaki realized then that Innis' speed outmatched his own.

_If I can't match up to her in speed, then at least I'll outmatch her strength,_ Sakaki thought to himself, launching a stream of bullets at Innis. The next second, he didn't even see Innis - it had gotten behind him and was already striking the AIDA's back. He swore under his breath, turning to face Innis. Again, it was too late.

_A combination of high speed and decent strength can defeat high strength and decent speed..._ Sakaki considered. _...Victorian is too slow. I have to do something if I have any hope of winning..._

Even as he was pondering tactics, Innis was wearing down Sakaki's barrier. He noticed something about Innis that he hadn't noticed with Skeith - even this soon after Awakening, Atoli had almost complete control over her Avatar, even though it would normally be out of its user's control. Granted, when Haseo had Awakened, he had someone else to prevent him from going berserk... Sakaki wondered if Atoli was subconsciously connected to Haseo, and that was keeping her calm, or at least as calm as she could be when she was this angry.

Sakaki was forced out of his distraction by a shattering sound. He realized that the barrier around Victorian had broken, and that Innis was preparing to use its spirit drain. In an act of desperation, Victorian began sending guided missiles in Innis' direction, but it was too late. The spirit tentacles had already wrapped around Victorian, depleting its energy.

Satisfied with her victory, Atoli recalled her Avatar. She could feel Sakaki's presence inside her, leading her to believe that he had been sealed. She walked over to his body, doing a quick check-over and confirming that he was dead.

Feeling a slight pang of sympathy, Atoli wondered if it was the AIDA manipulating Sakaki's feelings. She chose to let him go, turning and leaving the Moon Tree base. Enough had happened to her, and she didn't want to face her parents.

_...I know Sakaki just wanted to help, but... I couldn't agree with him..._

**aba**

As she walked down the streets of Mac Anu, she looked left and right for him. She figured that since it was the evening, he'd be heading home.

"Atoli!"

She saw him running toward her. She stepped forward, hugging him gratefully, looking up at him with a smile on her face.

"Atoli, I... I was so worried about you!" Haseo exclaimed. "When I tried to connect with you, I couldn't get you to listen-"

"I heard every word, Haseo," Atoli said. "It was your presence that kept me from losing it completely..."

Haseo tried to catch his breath. "Oh, Atoli... I'm... I'm so glad... you're okay..."

"...Let's go home," Atoli suggested. "I guess... your feelings about Sakaki were right."

"Yeah," Haseo agreed. "...Let's go home. We can worry about whether or not you made the right decision later."

Together, they walked down the path to their house. It was a pleasant evening, and the trip home couldn't have been better. Atoli was still worn out from the fight, but at the same time, she was happy to be with Haseo.

Along the way, the two encountered Alkaid. She hugged Atoli, relieved to see that she was safe.

"I was so worried about you when you said you were going to Moon Tree to talk with Sakaki! It's good to see you again!"

Atoli blushed, hesitantly hugging Alkaid back. "Um... I-I'm fine, Alkaid. You don't need to worry, okay? I actually... sealed him..."

"You sealed Sakaki?" Alkaid repeated in surprise, letting go of Atoli. "Well, at least _you_ weren't the one getting sealed. C'mon, let's go to Haseo's house! I'll take you there if you're having trouble walking!"

"Thank you, Alkaid," Atoli said. "But I'll have to decline that offer. I can walk on my own."

Haseo laughed. _Those two sure are getting along pretty well. Since Atoli's Awakened now, I guess that means we only have one more Epitaph User to look for... wait, didn't Yata say he hadn't Awakened yet? Well, scratch that..._

**aba**

The three stepped into the house and were immediately greeted by a cheerful Silabus. Alkaid stepped forward and hugged him, allowing the other two to pass.

"Will you be coming to the coronation tomorrow, Silabus?" Alkaid inquired.

"Of course I will," Silabus replied. "You all did great in the tournament. And don't worry about not being able to go into the last rounds, Alkaid."

Alkaid laughed. "You think I'd be worried about something like that?"

"I didn't think you would be," Silabus said, a smile on his face. "I was just making sure!"

"You two look like good friends," Haseo observed.

"We really are," Silabus said. "I was honestly kind of concerned when she got angry with you, Haseo... I was hoping that she'd be okay..."

"You certainly didn't show it in the arena match," Haseo said.

Silabus scratched the back of his neck. "You didn't notice a lot of things back then, no offense."

"Hey, what the hell is that supposed to mean!" Haseo growled.

"Let's go, Haseo," Atoli said, taking him by the arm. Haseo looked disgruntled, but complied with her request.

"Um... Alkaid," Silabus said, turning once again to his friend. "...Can we go out to the harbor and... discuss something alone?"

"That's fine by me," Alkaid replied. "Let's go, then!"

Silabus hung his head, following Alkaid as she exited the house. _I hope I don't screw it up..._

**aba**

She stood on the pier, looking over at her friend. "Yeah? What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"Um, well..." He blushed, stepping forward hesitantly. "...This is... kind of embarrassing, but... what do you think of me, Alkaid?"

"Huh?" She scratched the back of her neck. "Well, I kinda like you. You're a real nice guy, and when it comes down to it, you're dependable and strong... but you're also kinda sensitive. And I really like all of those aspects of you. It makes you an interesting person."

"W-well, I... I, uh..."

He hesitated, unable to say or do anything for a moment. Then, he pulled out the weapons he had intended to give her, and with his hands shaking, handed them to her.

"Whoa, that's a nice set of swords! Where'd you get them?"

"Where I found them..." he began. "...It doesn't really matter now, does it? They're... hard to find, and... the place that they're located... is full of really strong monsters... but if you want, I can go get you... a replacement... if they break or something..."

"Say, your face is all red, Silabus," she observed. "What's the matter?"

"...Do you know what those swords... symbolize?"

"Symbolize? No, what?"

His face flushed even deeper as he spoke. "...'Devoted Affection'. That's... that's what the 'Honeysuckle' swords... symbolize."

"Y-you can't be serious..." She quickly joined him in blushing. "...Uh, w-wow! I-I guess that means... you, uh... really like me!"

"I... I do," he said. "...I love you... Alkaid."

She was immediately taken aback. "Y-you've gotta be kidding me! You can't possibly..."

"I'm... I'm not joking! I really do... I-I'm sorry... I guess... I shouldn't have... told you... after all..."

"...No, it's alright, Silabus. I understand. We've been through a lot together, and... I... well, I love you too. It's kinda hard to say at first, isn't it? I've been wanting to tell you myself, but I thought I'd screw up and then you'd get mad at me..."

"A-Alkaid..."

She hugged him, then kissed him right on the lips. He turned bright red and almost backed off, but let her kiss him, inwardly thankful for her forwardness... he would never have been able to do it himself. Eventually, he brought up the courage to kiss her back, and clumsily attempted to deepen it, which left her highly amused... but she accepted it, kissing him deeply and almost passionately. For a time, they savored the moment, at least until they both realized they had to breathe. She broke off the kiss, and they both tried to catch their breath.

Once he was able to speak again, he said, "Wow, Alkaid... that was amazing."

"You're not bad for a beginner," she commented. "But, uh... you're still a little clumsy. I'll teach you, ok?"

He blushed, seemingly enjoying the thought. "...Um, how do you know anyhow?"

"Huh? Well, I guess it's just intuition."

"Right," he said, laughing. "Um... thank you for everything you've done for me today, Alkaid. I guess... I'll head back home now."

She shook her head, much to his surprise. "Unless you wanna pack up your things, I think I'd rather take you in myself. Taihaku'll probably get mad at me, but I've got a nice cozy home back in Icolo. So I'm taking you with me!"

"S-so... I'll be living with you?" He stepped back. "...That... that sounds really great! I moved all my stuff to Canard's base when I moved, so I guess I can go with you as is. Thanks for the offer, though..." Inwardly, he thought, _This is gonna be so awesome! I'll be living with Alkaid! And I'll get to see the inside of Icolo, too!_

"So, uh, anyone you need to tell about this before you come over?"

"I'll have to tell Gaspard, but I can contact him later. Thank you so much, Alkaid!"

She grinned, hugging him again. "It's no problem! I'll be glad to have you!"

As they walked through the winding streets of Mac Anu, they held hands, looking at the nighttime scenery. It took her until then to consider where he might sleep... deciding on her bed, she mentally laughed, picturing the expression on his face when she told him.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yep, I decided to introduce Silabus x Alkaid after all. Please don't flame me. -puts up flameshield- I almost forgot to put in the Honeysuckle scene, but then once I did, I melted. ;D I think I have a new fanpairing favorite._

_Next up, the coronation, Ovan and Nala! Also some fluff to celebrate our new couple. ;D And after that, it's Redemption at last! -dances- I'm so excited to get on with the Sage Palace XD_


	20. Truth

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: I'm dreadfully sorry about the large delay between chapters. Writer's block has taken me again, and with me, that usually means the death of a story. x.x_

_Anyway, this chapter will contain Ovan's revelation. The fight scene is atrocious, I apologize for that. I just couldn't think of anywhere to go. XD_

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco._

**XX** **Chapter 20: Truth XX**

He really wasn't in the mood for a party. Even after everything that had happened, he had considered not attending the coronation, but ended up doing so anyway on a whim. After all, it would be rude to his guests and fans not to come after all this.

It seemed as if the government had neglected to seek out the Epitaph Users. They were probably busy with something or other, not bothering to sweat the small stuff. It wasn't as if the knowledge hurt anyone, after all.

Since he was still fond of his old equipment, he showed little interest in the weapons they presented him with as the arena's victor. After the main event had finished, he retreated to the balcony overlooking the ocean. Hy Brasail was used primarily for arena coronations, weddings and other important events, and it was no surprise that there were a large number of people attending.

He didn't like large groups. He never had, not since he was young.

Resting his hands on the railing, he pondered everything that had happened until then. Shino hadn't been unsealed, but that was a small thing in the back of his mind at this point. He had someone else - someone who returned his feelings, and someone who would probably be more open to him about everything. At the same time, he knew that he couldn't just let Tri-Edge run loose... and the desire to save Shino was still there, in spite of everything that had happened.

He'd been able to stand up to Tri-Edge the last time, but nobody had come back. He presumed that Tri-Edge was still out there somewhere.

He was about to turn and head back when the sound of footsteps was heard. He turned, finding himself staring _up_ at the tall man that stood before him.

"...Sirius," he addressed the man, his voice calm and unwavering. "...I'm sorry about... everything that's happened."

"It's... nothing to worry about, Haseo," Sirius said. "I've shamed the arena. I deserved the loss..."

Haseo shook his head. "I don't think that's the case, but fine, whatever you wanna think. Yeah, you screwed up... so what? It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anything you could've prevented. Besides, I nearly killed Alkaid with my own power once. The result wouldn't have been different either way."

Sirius stepped forward, leaning against the railing. "...Had I not drowned in power, those innocent lives could have been saved. I don't care that they've been freed... the pride of an Arena Emperor lies in his ability to avoid killing his opponents, and to not let personal grudges get in the way. I wish there had been... some other way..."

"Don't get depressed," Haseo said. "Like I said, it isn't your fault. AIDA's drawn to people's emotions, and it's not like there's anything you can do to stop it once it's worked its way into you. Look, just... don't blame yourself, okay? It's pointless and it'll only make you more upset. Trust me, I know from experience."

"...You're strong, Haseo," Sirius observed. "You deserve the title of Emperor. Take it, and don't be ashamed. I'll return to Icolo... there's nothing more I can do at this point."

Haseo nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Oh, yeah... speaking of Icolo, how's Alkaid been doing? She hasn't dropped by my house lately."

"She's... moved in with a friend of hers," Sirius replied. "Or rather, he moved in with her. Taihaku was rather displeased at this development... Alkaid is too stubborn to keep under control, though." He recalled the memory, his teeth showing in a wolf-like grin. "...It just wouldn't be the same without her. I'm glad she came back... after the Demon Palace."

"...Wait, who's this 'friend of hers' you're talking about?" Haseo asked, curious.

"A young man named Silabus," Sirius said. "He only participated in one tournament, and didn't take on the title of Emperor... one would expect Taihaku to be angry. I was, too... but as I said, it's difficult to keep Alkaid from going off on her own. I accepted the proposition eventually, but not without a fight..."

"It's next to impossible to keep her tied down," Haseo agreed. "...I'd heard that Silabus was moving out, but I never expected him to move in with Alkaid. I guess those two have gotten really close since they met up again. I wonder if they became boyfriend and girlfriend or something... let's just hope he doesn't forget about his duties at Canard in the process."

"He doesn't seem to be that type of man," Sirius said. "He's not as irresponsible as his predecessor."

"Yeah, that's true," Haseo said. "...Y'know, it's almost sundown. That means it's about time to head back, right? I guess I'll see you later, then. It was nice to talk with you, if only for a little while."

"...Farewell, Haseo," Sirius said. "And... for the sake of all those who were lost... don't ever stop moving forward."

As Haseo turned and left, Sirius bowed respectfully, waiting for the boy to disappear from sight before leaving himself. Haseo boarded the ship back to Mac Anu, thinking the whole time.

_...Don't worry, Sirius. I won't. I'll do everything I can... to save all of them._

**aba**

He recalled the message he had received earlier that day. It was a cryptic message from Ovan, saying nothing more than, "Come to Megin Fi." As he walked through the beautiful yet ruined streets of the lost city, he wondered what Ovan was up to.

Either way, though, he was curious. What was going on in Ovan's head? Why was he behaving so strangely? And why did he know about AIDA, Tri-Edge and the Avatars?

"Welcome, Haseo."

The voice startled him out of his trance. He turned, facing the man who had saved his life way back when. "...Ovan!"

"So you did come," Ovan observed. "I had a feeling you would. There is something very important that I must tell you."

"...You're always hiding stuff from me, Ovan," Haseo growled. "What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"About... Tri-Edge."

Haseo raised an eyebrow. This certainly piqued his interest. "...Yeah? What about him?"

"I'm afraid... you've been chasing down the wrong person."

"What do you mean by that?" Haseo questioned. "Ovan, tell me!"

Ovan smirked, holding out his left arm, which, as always, was encased in a metal cylinder. He allowed it to unlock, and slowly the casing began to unravel, revealing his arm... and something _else_, which Haseo had never seen before.

A long, curved extension protruded from Ovan's shoulder, ending with a bladed half-circle. In his left arm, he wielded a peculiar-looking weapon resembling one half of a set of dual swords.

"...What the hell!" Haseo exclaimed in surprise. "_That's_ what you've been hiding in your arm all this time! Is that AIDA!"

"More than just AIDA," Ovan replied. "...It is the AIDA you've been searching for... all this time."

He drew his bayonet, and in a flash, had drawn a familiar, three-edged sign on the floor beneath Haseo. The Adept looked around, shocked... the attack hadn't struck him, but it had still drawn the Sign. He collapsed on his hands and knees, trying to find in his head a way to deny what had just happened... but there was none.

"...Haseo... this is Tri-Edge. I was the one who killed Shino... and I've afflicted countless people since. I've much to atone for... doesn't it make you angry? Doesn't it make you want to kill me?"

Haseo snarled, suddenly finding words impossible to speak. Drawing his scythe and charging at Ovan, he was easily deflected by the bayonet in Ovan's right hand. Haseo skidded back, calculating a number of things in his head before calling out his Avatar.

"So that's your answer," Ovan said. "...Then, I'll ask you a question... what is the truth? Do you know it? Can you discover the truth... if you don't have the 'Key of the Twilight'?"

He closed his eyes, calmly beginning the ritual of summoning an Avatar. Haseo, surprised at this, drifted back, wondering if Ovan really was the final Epitaph User.

"_...Come, the Rebirth! Corbenik!_"

Haseo's question was answered when Ovan's Avatar appeared. The Avatar seemed damaged by the AIDA rooted in it, with a somewhat distorted left arm and a clawed third arm attached to its left shoulder. Haseo tried to remain calm, but it was difficult with the knowledge that he had been given.

"Why did you have to hide all this time!" Haseo roared, ordering his Avatar to attack Ovan's head-on. "Why have you been hiding everything! Why!"

"It was for you, Haseo," was Ovan's simple response as he deflected Skeith's attack with Corbenik's clawed arm. "...It was so that you would get stronger."

"Don't give me that crap!" Angered by Ovan's words, Haseo charged once again, this time managing to strike. "Have you been manipulating me since the beginning! Since we _first met!_"

Ovan fell silent, shoving Skeith away. Haseo moved back, then fired a number of spirit bullets at Corbenik, who was stunned momentarily. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Haseo ordered Skeith forward to strike. However, Corbenik had managed to recompose itself before Skeith reached it, and deflected the smaller Avatar again.

"Are you going to keep lying? Are you going to keep on manipulating people for your own selfish desires? Why the hell did you even involve me in the first place, Ovan! _Answer me!_"

Again, there was no response. Haseo dashed toward Corbenik, intending to strike, but ended up clashing instead. Skeith once again moved back, only to charge again and clash. The force of the collision was enough to knock the Avatars away from each other again, which led to another charge and another clash.

"Damn it, Ovan! Why don't you _speak_ already!"

"Those questions will be answered in time," Ovan stated calmly. "How about... I help you answer them?"

"Help me!" Haseo was infuriated. "_Help me!_ Yeah, right! As if I'm gonna listen to that kind of offer! You've ruined my entire _life_ with your damn schemes! You've done everything in your power to make my life as _miserable_ as possible!"

"...So that's how you feel," Ovan said. "In that case..."

Haseo didn't expect to encounter no resistance from Corbenik on his next strike. The Avatar's barrier shattered, and Haseo took the opportunity to spirit drain it before Ovan could recover.

Once again, Ovan's reaction was unexpected. The moment his Avatar dissipated, he began to look rather upset. Haseo touched down, confused by Ovan's bizarre behavior.

"...No... so it was... too soon... after all..."

"Too soon?" Haseo inquired. "For what?"

"...Haseo... go out and collect... all the other Phases..." Ovan strained to continue speaking. "...Once you do... come and... defeat me... then... everyone... will come back..."

Ovan collapsed, then disappeared. Haseo pondered what he meant and why he had vanished without a trace.

**aba**

Haseo calmly walked through the Mercenary District of Mac Anu. He intended to question Yata about some things, but was stopped before he reached Raven's base. An elderly man dressed in formal clothing and armor stepped forward, and Haseo instantly recognized him.

"Nala!"

"It's good to see you again, Haseo," Nala said. "You're looking as spunky as ever, I see. Well, I've also been meaning to tell you something myself."

"Yeah, I was wondering about the arena match," Haseo said. "Why did you do that?"

"Well, it was all to get you to fight the AIDA in Sirius," Nala replied. "You see, I'm... an acquaintance of Yata's. An old friend of his, so to speak. You did well, so don't berate yourself. You can be angry with me all you want, but it won't change the fact that I could've overpowered you... had I _wanted_ to."

Haseo hung his head. "...Fine, then. It still kinda pisses me off, but I'll accept that explanation for now."

"You look like you've been through a lot, Haseo," Nala observed. "Please rest for a while. Don't worry... next time I'll be on your side."

"I guess... in a way, you always were," Haseo said. "...You just wanted me to win. But that doesn't change the fact that you handed that match to me."

Nala nodded. "Yes... that's true. I know it will take you some time to forgive me. Farewell, and I hope to meet you again."

Haseo closed his eyes, wondering about the old man. He certainly wasn't too much different from Yata in many ways... deciding that since daylight was scarce, he would save the questioning for later. He started toward home, thinking of everything that had happened.

**aba**

Alkaid wiped the sweat off of her forehead, glancing at her companion. "Hey, Silabus! Great training today! Let's do this again sometime!"

"Yeah," Silabus agreed, a smile on his face. He was worn out, but he didn't mind... it was entertaining to go adventuring sometimes. As he started to head back to the transporter, Alkaid ran out ahead of him, expertly moving across the desert sand. He wasn't quite as used to this terrain, but her boundless energy prevented her from waiting.

When they arrived, Alkaid was panting, trying to catch her breath. Silabus glanced at her with a concerned look in his eyes.

"Don't worry about me," she said. "I'm gonna be fine. I just need to get back to town and rest."

"Want me to get you a drink?" Silabus suggested.

"No, no, it's fine!" Alkaid immediately replied, blushing. "I, um... well, let's go back to Canard for now."

Silabus nodded, stepping into the transporter's warp field. Alkaid followed, the strange sensation of teleporting allowing her to ignore her exhaustion.

Once they'd returned to Dol Dona, Alkaid collapsed on the ground. Silabus picked her up, a worried look on his face. However, she just smiled.

"It's nice when you carry me like this, Silabus. I really hope I can get all worn out sometime so you can do this again."

"Don't say that, Alkaid," Silabus said. "If you get yourself too tired out, especially in a desert, you might get sick! I'll take you to Canard and get you some water, okay?"

"...Thanks for being so concerned," Alkaid said. "I guess I can't stop you from worrying, since you're my boyfriend now."

Silabus laughed. "Yeah, that's true. But I just... don't want you to get hurt, okay?"

"I'll do what I want," Alkaid said stubbornly.

The former guildmaster smiled; her persistence was really quite adorable at times. He made his way down the stairs and back to the base, immediately laying Alkaid down in the infirmary and bringing her some cold water. She consumed the water in a rather short period of time, indicating to Silabus that she had most likely gotten dehydrated, overheated and exhausted... a bad combination in any situation.

Laying down in the bed, Alkaid smiled up at Silabus. "Thanks so much for helping me out. I think I was worse off than I thought."

"So you admit it," Silabus remarked with a laugh. "Don't try to push yourself too hard, okay? You might be tough, but you're still human."

Alkaid yawned. "I'm gonna go sleep now... can you watch me?"

"...I'll take care of you," Silabus said. "Now just relax... I'm not going away, okay?"

"Yeah..." The tired dual-wielder quickly drifted off, leaving Silabus to watch over her. After a time, he decided to rest in the next bed over, but soon discovering that he'd rather snuggle, he got back up and moved into Alkaid's bed. Since there wasn't much room, he had to huddle close to her, leaving him very embarrassed. He enjoyed every minute of it, though.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yeah, kinda cut off at the end there. But I had to clip out a scene anyhow. XD_

_Well, next up we move to Volume 3. Man, it's hard to believe I got that far. XD_


	21. Disaster

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Updates have been rather dry for a long time, I know, but I had a terrible case of writer's block and was trying to think of an excuse to post up the garbage I'd written up until then... well, after reading it over, I've decided I'll have to do a few revisions to the final material, but I __**think**__ that what I've written is at least suitable. XP_

_Be prepared for cheese, cliche, rather violent fight scenes, and lots and lots of Haseo and Atoli from here on out. Yep, I warned you. ;p_

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco. If I did, .hack/LINK probably wouldn't exist- oh crap, did I say that out loud? Seriously, though, I don't own anything._

**XXI** **Chapter 21: Disaster** **XXI**

Haseo remained in his house for at least a week after fighting Ovan. Though other friends would come and visit him, the only person he would ever respond to was Atoli. Even when she would inquire him on the subject, he wouldn't reply. She was growing increasingly worried.

Recognizing that he needed comfort, she would make sure to provide it to him. After all, he'd done so much for her... she wanted to do something for him.

The evening was beginning to fade into night. She huddled close to him, petting him and trying to put his mind at ease. She wanted to return the affection he'd given her...

"...hey, Atoli."

She looked at him, a little surprised by his sudden comment. "What's wrong, Haseo? You've been so quiet the past few days, and I've been wondering why..."

"You remember when I said I was gonna go to Megin Fi?" Haseo said. "...Well, I met Ovan there."

"You did?" Atoli perked, curious. She was prepared to listen to him, no matter what he had to say.

"Yeah," Haseo said. "...I met him there... and fought him there. Turns out he's the real Tri-Edge... and the eighth Epitaph User."

Atoli was unable to say anything. She knew that this fact was probably one of the most devastating emotional blows Haseo had ever received... and she couldn't think of anything to say in order to console him. Rather, she hugged him closer, hoping that her presence would reassure him.

"...I know you're worried about me, Atoli," Haseo said, placing his arms around her. "But... you don't need to be. This is something only I can handle... I'm sure of it. Ovan's words... he told me to gather the Eight Phases."

"I'm one of them," Atoli reminded. "...I'm the Second Phase, Innis... and I Awakened when I fought Sakaki..."

Haseo closed his eyes. "...I know that, Atoli. And thanks to that fact, you can help me out."

"Haseo... I have something I want to say," Atoli said. "...Is it okay... if I give you my Phase's power directly?"

"What do you mean by that?" Haseo asked.

Atoli smiled. "...Well, we're really close now... our bond has been strengthened to its final degree. So... I thought that... I could lend you Innis' power using the strength of our bond. That way, it'll be the same as if you spirit-drained it... but you wouldn't have to hurt me."

Haseo tilted his head. "How?"

"...Like this, Haseo," Atoli said, leaning in and gently placing her lips over his.

He blushed, but accepted her kiss, feeling a strange yet pleasant warmth tingling through his body. Deciding that he would probably like sharing a romantic moment even though the process had already been completed, she chose to deepen the kiss, and he complied, gently running his fingers through her hair. After all that had happened, he'd wanted to relax... and she'd offered him the chance to relax, which he appreciated.

She eventually broke off the kiss, cuddling up to him. He held her, smiling warmly for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"...Is that it?"

"Yes, the process is done. I guess you really liked that form of transfer."

"Yeah, I did. Thanks, Atoli..."

"You're welcome, Haseo!"

The door suddenly creaked open, causing both of them to lift their heads. A familiar young woman was standing in the doorway, a somewhat panicked expression on her face.

"Haseo! Atoli! I'm... sorry to interrupt your little romantic moment, but... we have an emergency over at Raven."

"Alright, Pi," Haseo said, standing. "Sorry, Atoli."

"No, it's okay," Atoli said. "Let's go. We can't afford to waste any time if it's an emergency."

**aba**

"Yata's gone missing!"

Kuhn seemed taken aback; though he wasn't fond of Yata, he knew of his importance as G.U.'s leader. He looked away, muttering under his breath, obviously aggravated.

"...We're unable to locate him anywhere," Pi stated. "And he's the only one who can operate the Serpent of Lore. When he first became the leader of Project G.U., he was entrusted by the government with the Serpent of Lore, and only his spiritual presence can start it."

Haseo growled slightly; even knowing that Yata was the only Epitaph User that hadn't Awakened, he was still determined to finish collecting the Phases. "Isn't Yata an Epitaph User himself? Without him, then we can't have all eight Phases."

Before anyone could say anything else, a whirring sound was heard. Pi rushed to the back area of the base, hoping to find out what was going on. The others followed her there, only to come upon a horrifying sight.

"The Serpent of Lore is being operated by someone other than Yata!"

"Yes, of course it is," came a voice from above. A floating platform lowered, revealing the person that Atoli had attacked and sealed previously. "Ever since that worthless scrap heap ran off, I've been given privileges over all of the land. I'm in charge of AIDA's control... as well as you Epitaph Users."

Atoli looked up, remembering her decision to let him go. She immediately regretted her decision, seeing him in the state he was now. "...Sakaki!"

"You were generous enough to free me, Atoli." Sakaki's form had changed; his body showed signs of a severe AIDA infection, from the black and red spines sticking up out of his head to the wing-like protrusion from his left shoulder. As the platform set itself into the floor below, he stepped forward, smirking. "...Don't you remember all the wonderful times we shared? Our bond was as strong as a sibling bond. We traveled together across long distances... we were the greatest of friends, always by each other's side. And I'm sure you remembered all those once you set me free... once you unsealed me."

"...Sakaki..." Atoli's voice was a low growl; it was something Haseo had _never_ heard out of her before. "...If you lay one finger on any of my friends, I'll make sure that I _don't_ unseal you next time!"

Sakaki laughed. "Now is that how you treat a superior? One who could instantly banish you from this world? Tell me, Atoli. Do you have any power to defy me now? I'll make you my slave, so that you never even think of defying my orders again!"

"I don't care what you do," Atoli said. "...I don't care what you do anymore, as long as you don't hurt anyone ever again! You... you used me... all that friendship... all of it... was _LIES!_"

Haseo stepped forward, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "...Calm down, Atoli. Your Avatar might go berserk if you get too angry with him. Let's go now. We're done here... we don't have any reason to listen to that bastard."

Trying to keep her cool, Atoli turned around and walked out. Kuhn could feel the rage emanating from her aura as she left, and wondered what exactly had happened between her and Sakaki.

"Well, we'd better get going now," the gunman suggested. "I'm not gonna listen to Sakaki's speeches. Let's just get the hell outta here now. Got it, everyone?"

"Yes," Pi agreed. "Let's go. We're wasting our time."

**aba**

Silabus stepped up to the gate, tilting his head when he saw the person standing there. "...Haseo? What are you doing here in Breg Epona?"

"Well, I heard that Canard was moving again," Haseo said. "As its guildmaster... I think I should go check it out."

"...Oh, that's right," Silabus said. "...And, um... I've noticed you're acting really strange lately. What's going on?"

Haseo looked away. "...Something big's happening with the Epitaph Users. I guess their leader's missing or something, and... he's been replaced by Sakaki."

"Sakaki?" Silabus repeated in surprise. "Wait, does this have something to do with him betraying Atoli?"

"I think it might," Haseo replied. "Sakaki's in charge of the Epitaph Users and AIDA research now. And I don't think he has any intentions of quitting anytime soon."

Silabus sighed. "...Well, I guess there's not much I can do to help. I'm sorry... I wish I could do more."

"Don't worry about it," Haseo said. "I think I'm gonna be absent for a while, so you've gotta take care of Canard. Alright?"

"I wasn't expecting our new guildmaster to be busy so often," Silabus laughed. "Well, I promise I won't let you down, okay? You just do what you have to, Haseo. I understand you're busy, but... could you please come back to Canard once in a while?"

"Sure, I will," Haseo agreed. "I'm not gonna let you down either, Silabus."

"...I'm not sure what's going on, but..." Silabus looked down. "...I said I wanted to help you out, right? Is there anything I can do to... get your mind off of things?"

"Why don't we go train for a while?" Haseo suggested. "If you want, we can take Gaspard."

Silabus smiled. "I'm sure he'd enjoy that too. Let's go, then!"

**aba**

Even though the training session had eased his stress for a while, Haseo was still upset. When he returned home to rest, Silabus and Gaspard followed him, hoping to cheer him up. Atoli was there as well, but Haseo seemed uninterested.

He paced anxiously, wondering what was going to happen next.

"What's wrong, Haseo?" Atoli inquired. She frowned when he remained silent.

"Something's been bugging him lately," Silabus said. "Something to do with his job..."

Atoli hung her head. "...Well, it's true that Sakaki took over G.U., but... I think he's worried about what Sakaki might do next. People who are infected with AIDA can be very unpredictable..."

"...So Sakaki's infected himself," Silabus commented. "Basically, on top of what happened at Megin Fi, Haseo's worried about this as well..."

Haseo glared at Silabus. "When did you learn about that?"

"Calm down, Haseo," Atoli said. "I told him. I told him about everything that happened... I guess I shouldn't have-"

"No, it's alright," Haseo said. "...What's more important right now is what's going on with Sakaki. Although, I'm pretty sure that Ovan is behind this..."

"Intuition?" Silabus asked.

Haseo nodded. "Yeah... pretty much. Ovan seems to be behind everything that's been going on lately... it makes me regret ever having trusted him."

"...Well, if you don't mind, Gaspard and I are going to take our leave now," Silabus said. "I can tell... you need some time to be alone, Haseo."

"See you later," Haseo said, waving in the direction of the two. He once again began to pace after they left.

"I know you hate not knowing what's going on," Atoli said. "...But please, try to be more open with your feelings, okay?"

Haseo sat down beside Atoli on the sofa. "...Yeah, I'll try. Thanks for everything."

He moved closer to her, but before his intent could be carried out, another familiar person burst into the room, looking panicked.

"Kuhn!" Haseo looked up. "...What's wrong this time?"

"Well, it has to do with Sakaki," Kuhn replied. "Apparently he's organizing an arena tournament for the Sage Palace. And... he's encouraging murdering within the battle ring. Not only that, but most of the people going into the tournament are killers themselves."

Haseo swore under his breath. "...So wait, basically what's going on is, Sakaki's trying to control-"

"Not exactly," Kuhn said. "He's aiming to eradicate _you_ in specific, Haseo."

"...Damn," Haseo growled. "Well, it's not like I _have_ to sign up for the tournament, right?"

"I don't know," Kuhn said. "But this might actually be a good opportunity for G.U. to make its move. Even without Yata, we still have the other Epitaph Users. Even Sakaki can't stand up against all of us."

"You guys are willing to take that kind of risk?" Haseo questioned.

"...Well, it's not like we can do much until Pi finds Yata," Kuhn said. "She's looking for him right now... it doesn't look like she's making much progress, though. Until then, we have to buy some time for G.U."

Haseo stood. "...Alright, then. Let's go. We'll sign up for the tournament in Lumina Cloth... I hate to do just what Sakaki wants, but it's all we can do right now."

"I'll go with you," Atoli said. "After all that's happened... I can't just take my eyes off of Sakaki. I made a mistake when I let him free... and now I want to atone for that mistake."

"I'll go, too," Kuhn insisted. "We can't locate Endrance, and I doubt that Saku would want to go along with this. Pi's off searching for Yata, so that pretty much leaves me."

"Are you sure you can handle that on top of everything else?" Haseo asked.

"Well, about that..." Kuhn sighed. "...Mira hasn't been feeling well lately. I'm gonna take her with me, but she won't be fighting. I'm worried about her..."

"Yeah, I understand," Haseo said. "If you want, I can ask Silabus to take care of her."

"He'd appreciate being able to help me," Kuhn said with a nod. "Actually, I think that's a good idea. I'll have Silabus look out for Mira for now."

"Do you know what's wrong with Mira?" Atoli looked at Kuhn curiously.

Kuhn shook his head. "...No, I don't have any clue. Unfortunately, it looks like she'll be out of commission for a while... she's been pretty sick lately. I just hope she'll be okay..."

"...I'm sorry," Atoli said. "I wish I could do something to help..."

"For now, all you can do is what you do best," Kuhn said. "Help out G.U., and support Haseo. C'mon, let's get going."

Atoli stood, walking to the door. She looked at Haseo, who nodded in response. Kuhn looked between them, then followed them out.

Inwardly, the gunman was pondering everything that had happened lately. _...I really hope whatever's wrong with Mira isn't serious. And... I also hope that Sakaki's not gonna pull any last-minute crap on us. I think we'd all be pissed if that happened..._

**abcba**

_Author's Note: I'll ask all of my reviewers to please not try and guess what's wrong with Mira. I'll let it be known later on, but for now I want to keep it a well-guarded secret. ;p_


	22. Terror

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Yeah, two for the price of one. Well... sorta. I'd already had enough written up for another chapter, so I figured, why not post it to keep my readers on the edge of their seats? And just as annoyed as when I started posting the fanfic. ;p_

_First round of the Sage Palace is gonna take place in this chapter, but I'll warn you, it will be VERY different from in the game. And it will involve some dismemberment._

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco, so stop asking me if I do. K?_

**XXII** **Chapter 22: Terror** **XXII**

Haseo could virtually feel the dark aura around Lumina Cloth the moment he entered it. The sky, which would normally be clear and sunny at this time of day, was shrouded with dark clouds.

"...I don't think that this aura's just Sakaki's AIDA," Kuhn said. "It feels like the AIDA aura is coming from the whole city."

"Maybe everyone in the city is infected?" Haseo pondered. "...If so, that means..."

Atoli shook her head. "I don't think it's quite that... I wonder if AIDA's influence has spread into the city's spirit energy..."

"...That's not good," Kuhn said. "The spirit presence about this place is strong... it's one of the prime locations for transfers of energy between the spirit realm and the physical realm. That's why people recuperate so much faster here... and why it was chosen as the location for the largest arena in all the land."

"So if AIDA's worked its way into the city itself, then basically that means..." Haseo growled. "...that means that AIDA's spread beyond just the physical realm..."

Kuhn nodded. "...Yeah, that's probably the case. And if it's in the spirit realm, that spells trouble for the whole world. I guess that Yata was right when he said that AIDA was growing in strength..."

"The situation is becoming serious," Atoli observed, her tone sorrowful. "...I hope that AIDA doesn't corrode the spirit realm as well."

"It's likely too late to prevent that," Kuhn said. "...For now... all we can do is fight."

Haseo began to walk to the arena counter, but soon realized that no one was giving him the room to move. He eventually settled on pushing his way through, leaving Atoli and Kuhn to stare at him in disdain. However, they followed, finding that it was much easier for them to pass.

"What the hell is going on?" Haseo asked himself. "...Everyone's acting weird. This isn't normal, even for Lumina Cloth..."

He placed his entry and turned back, kneeling against the ledge. Gazing up at the sky, he wondered what time it was and how much longer it was until the match began.

A familiar face showed up. "Hey, Haseo!"

"...Huh?" Haseo lifted his head, seeing the teenager standing in front of him. "Hey, aren't you Matsu? The seventh unit leader in Moon Tree? What are _you_ doing here?"

"Just wanted to tell you that I'm gonna be participating in this tournament," Matsu replied. "You're going in too, huh? Well, I hope I don't lose before I get to fight you!"

Haseo grimaced. "Do you have any idea what this tournament is all about? They're endorsing killing! That's not something you guys want to get involved with!"

Matsu shrugged in response. "Hey, I don't have a choice. Sakaki's dragging me in this time. Besides, I'll get rusty if I don't have a few fights of my own!"

"...Matsu, I'm warning you," Haseo stated. "Don't kill anyone in this tournament. If you do, they might not come back."

"Hey, I'll do what I want," Matsu said. "If it comes down to you and me, I'm not holding back, do you hear me? Our last fight was memorable, and if I go up against you again, I'll make it twice as memorable as last time!"

Haseo sighed, hanging his head. "...He's too stubborn... there's no way I'll be able to convince him. Regardless, though... I have to keep him from killing anyone."

"Hey, are you sayin' something?"

"Talking to myself," Haseo grumbled. "Do you know what Sakaki has done? He attacked his own friend and now he's plotting to take over the world. And... I'm not gonna forgive him for what he did to Atoli!"

"Hey, calm down," Matsu said. "...To be honest, I know what Sakaki's done, and I don't approve of his actions. That's why I'm going into this... I wanna see if I can do anything to stop him."

"You can't," Haseo said. "That's up to me. I'd advise that you just stay out of this whole mess, and don't get involved."

Matsu shook his head. "...Didn't I already tell you? I don't have a choice here. I'm gonna go in there and I'm gonna fight. If I get killed, so be it. Alright, Haseo, now do you get it?"

"...Look, I understand how you feel," Haseo said. "But... this is dangerous. And you can't do anything about Sakaki... you don't have the kind of strength one needs to defeat him."

"I told you I'm not gonna back out!" Matsu snarled, turning. "And if you're too chicken to fight me, then I'm not gonna listen to you complain about it. You'll have a tough time this time! I guarantee!"

The red-haired Adept walked off, still aggravated. Haseo sighed, looking over the ledge.

"...Matsu, you know I'm only doing this... 'cuz I don't want you to get killed. Don't you understand? This is too dangerous... you could get sealed as well..."

He heard the sound of footsteps again, and almost snapped at the approaching person. However, he kept his mouth shut when he saw who it was.

"Haseo..." The tall, canine-faced person stared down, addressing the boy with a hint of concern in his tone. "...Taihaku has been acting unusual lately. I've been meaning to inquire you about this... is it the same thing that happened to me?"

Haseo looked up. "...Sirius. I'm not sure what exactly is going on here, but I think that it's probably the same thing... based off of what's been happening lately. But I wanna know... how exactly is he acting?"

"It's difficult to describe," Sirius replied. "He seems to be distancing himself from other people, and the people he kills... their spirit presence seems to be absorbed into him. And... that's the other thing. He's killing people... like he never has before."

"...Taihaku..." Haseo growled. "...If he's been infected too, then... I've got no choice but to go into this tournament. Sirius, I'm gonna have to ask you to stay out of this mess."

Sirius nodded slightly. "I'll leave it to you. If you were capable of curing me, then I trust you can cure Taihaku as well? I'm counting on you. And... thank you."

"I'm not doing this just for you," Haseo said. "Taihaku... I can't say we're friends, but I can't say we're enemies, either. And hearing this news... I want to fix what's wrong. And between you and I... I think I'm the only one that can do it."

"...I understand," Sirius said. "Don't get in over your head."

Haseo smirked. "Yeah, as if... I'm not gonna make the same mistakes that I did in the Demon Palace."

Sirius began to walk off, glancing back one last time. "...Haseo... you're not just the only one between you and I. You're the only one in this world... that can right what's wrong. That's how I feel."

"...Yeah," Haseo agreed. "I'm gonna fix this mess."

**aba**

"Welcome to the Sage Palace, 'Terror of Death'."

Haseo glared in the direction of his observing foe. "...Sakaki, what are you plotting this time?"

"Listen to the crowd," Sakaki pointed out. "...Listen to them very closely. Everyone that is present at the arena today... is your enemy. The same people that you hunted way back when... those who kill for fun."

"Oh really now?" Haseo snarled. "...That just gives me even more reason to kick their asses."

"I'll be surprised if you make it through this," Sakaki said. "...Very surprised indeed." He laughed, returning Haseo's glare. "The first round... will only be the beginning! Now then... let the match begin!"

Haseo felt almost as if he recognized some of the people standing on the other end of the arena. He figured that it was because they were probably some of his past victims... drawing his scythe, he charged forward, clashing with the enemy's leader.

Atoli glanced at Kuhn. "...Do you feel the aura about this place? It's... not natural... there's so much malice... I can hear it..."

"Well, I can't hear anything," Kuhn said. "But I guess that's 'cuz each of the Avatars has its own ability, and that one's yours. But yeah, it doesn't feel right at all here... let's put an end to this match quickly."

He aimed his rifle into the air and pulled the trigger. Mere seconds later, the opposing team was bombarded by a rain of fragments, causing the leader to flinch. Haseo took the opportunity to strike, knocking the leader into the wall of the arena.

Seeing an opportunity, Atoli quickly summoned her spirit energy to unleash a magical attack. A small tornado sent the leader flying, and once again Haseo took advantage of this, leaping into the air and flicking away the enemy. As he landed, Haseo observed his opponent. Much to his surprise, the team's leader was virtually unscathed.

"...What the hell?"

"I don't know," Kuhn said. "...Something's up with this guy. He has a powerful spirit presence... and he doesn't seem to be injured much by our attacks. This is gonna be a tough fight... you two, be on the lookout."

"...I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me 'this guy'," the leader said. "I'd much rather be referred to by the name Kiaras."

He charged at Haseo, clashing once again with the Adept's scythe. Haseo snarled, trying to shove Kiaras away, but failing. He was knocked down, and Kiaras took the opportunity to lay the blade of his sword next to Haseo's throat.

"One wrong move and you die."

Atoli fell on her hands and knees. She could feel Innis' power trying to push itself out... she knew she had to do all she could to suppress it. She looked over briefly at Kuhn, who didn't seem to have the same problem. She knew that he had much more control over his Avatar than she did hers.

"...Atoli, try and keep calm!" the gunman called, rushing to her side. "Don't let your Avatar go berserk. Suppress it!"

"...Haseo's... in trouble..." Atoli choked out, straining to keep her emotion in check. "...if he dies, then I'll..."

Before either of them could say anything else, a low growl was heard. Haseo had raised his scythe to shove away Kiaras' sword... and it was obvious that Kiaras was not happy about that fact.

"Hey, you're the 'Terror of Death', right?" Kiaras said. "Well, 'Terror of Death', I have the ability to spirit drain as well. Thanks to those wretched humans..."

Haseo didn't seem to care much about Kiaras' words. When the leader raised his arm, Haseo responded by charging forward and removing it.

While Kiaras fell to the floor of the arena, Sakaki stared down in utter shock. "...What the... how in the world did this...?"

"So?" Haseo's tone was feral. "...Are you gonna get back up or what, Kiaras?"

"H-Haseo..." Atoli stood, observing him worriedly. "...Haseo, are you...?"

"This isn't good," Kuhn commented. "...I don't think he's completely in control..."

Before Haseo could remove another limb from Kiaras' body, Atoli stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "...The enemy team's leader is down for the count... please, Haseo. Don't do anything you'll regret..."

"...Alright." Haseo stowed his scythe, turning away. "...Kiaras, do you forfeit?"

There was no response. Haseo glanced back, seeing that the leader was nodding very slightly. He grimaced, seeing the severity of the injury he'd inflicted.

"Hm... well, I suppose you did well for someone who's been altered," Sakaki said. "But this... is just the beginning. Mark my words, 'Terror of Death'... you _will_ lose this tournament. Some way or other..."

**aba**

When Haseo returned home, he stripped down his armor and laid on the sofa, resting as well as pondering the day's events. So much had happened since the day's beginning... he didn't want to get involved in any more fighting, at least not for today.

His mind was overrun with thoughts, to the point where he didn't notice Atoli calling him. After she called his name again, he looked up, snapping out of his thoughts.

"...Haseo? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Um... are you hungry?"

"A little... I guess."

She tilted her head. "...You're not feeling well, are you? I, um... I'm sorry. I won't bother-"

"Hey, it's fine," he insisted. "I know you're worried about me, but... I'll be alright. I just... need to get some rest, and get this whole mess straightened out... thanks for your concern, though."

"...If you want, I can make you some dinner," she suggested.

"That's fine," he said. "To be honest, I am kinda hungry right now... fighting day in and day out does that to you."

She giggled. "Do you want me to bring it out to you?"

"Wh-what!" he exclaimed, nearly falling off of the sofa. "...Uh, no, I-I can get it myself..."

"But you need to rest," she pointed out. "If you push yourself too hard, you'll be sore and won't be able to fight."

"O-okay," he agreed, embarrassed. She wondered if she'd hit a soft spot.

While Atoli made dinner, Haseo changed his train of thought. He had already considered the possibility of getting married, but at his age, it could be problematic. Some parts of the world were more inclined to deny marriage to people around his age... then again, after all that had happened, he didn't really worry that much about defying the higher-ups.

Then again, that law made sense...

There were a number of other problems that lay in his path, such as the short amount of time he'd known Atoli, as well as Shino, who, admittedly, he still had feelings for. He didn't think much about Shino anymore, but she was still there... even if she didn't exist in a physical form.

_...Well, I've gotta make my decision sooner or later,_ he thought. _I still don't think... that Shino would..._

He was interrupted when he heard a yelp coming from the kitchen. Quickly standing up, he rushed over to the kitchen.

"Atoli, are you-"

She looked at him, blushing. "Well, um... I was going to make dessert too, but..." Trailing off, she pointed out the large amount of whipped cream that had covered the front of her body. "...um, something happened..."

He tried to restrain his laughter, but couldn't. It took him a few minutes to settle down, but once he had, he handed her some towels to clean up. "...Geez, Atoli, are you really that much of a klutz? How did you manage to pull that one off?"

"It was one of those cans," she said. "When I tried to take the top off, it broke and started spraying whipped cream everywhere. I'm sorry..."

"Hey, it's fine," he said. "Everyone makes mistakes."

She giggled, looking at the stove. "Well, I guess I can't bring you dinner now, since you're in here with me... would you rather help me cook?"

"...I'm not too good at cooking, but sure, I guess," he agreed. "I mean, I can feed myself, but I'm not sure if you'd like it too much..."

"Well, you certainly have a nice kitchen. It's a real shame you don't put it to good use... say, this house is really nicely furnished. Where'd you get the money to pay for it all?"

"It's more of a family inheritance than anything..."

She tilted her head at him. "So you have rich parents? Wow, I didn't know that about you."

When he didn't respond, she grew concerned. However, the concern immediately faded when she noticed the amusement on his face.

"What is it, Haseo?"

"Well, y'know... it feels great to be able to have a normal conversation like this after everything that's been going on lately. I remember not too long after we first met, we developed our friendship just by talking... and it kinda brings back memories."

"Oh, I think I know what you mean," she said, giggling. "You seemed kind of down earlier... I hoped I'd be able to cheer you up, and I guess I succeeded."

"It was all because you screwed up dessert," he remarked.

"Still, I'm glad you're feeling better, Haseo. If you need to talk to me about anything, feel free."

"...I will."

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Okay, that fight was kind of wtf. I mean, aside from the dismemberment. But yeah... I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that. o.O_

_And yeah, I slipped in that last fluffy scene just because it added enough material to make the chapter worth posting. ;p I'd also like to note that whipped cream does NOT always mean something insanely perverted is about to happen... it tends to be a theme in my fanfics that whenever excessively humorous scenes are desired, food items will probably be involved._

_Haseo may be thinking of getting married, but the combination of the surrounding conflict and his own internal conflict will probably keep that from happening for a while. Sorry to disappoint you. ;p_


	23. Blame

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: There has been an incredible lack of updating as of late. My apologies for this, I've had some serious writer's block and only just now got around to writing again. :P_

_Anyway, this is going to be a long chapter, so brace yourself. Also, the arena fight is a bit... violent._

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco... if I did, the series would be *very* different. XD_

**XXIII Chapter 23: Blame XXIII**

The spirit aura hanging over Lumina Cloth was thick with an unpleasant miasma. Haseo hated walking the streets of the city when even the sun couldn't shine through the black clouds shrouding the sky...

He walked in silence toward the arena counter, only to be interrupted by a familiar presence. Glancing over to where he had felt the presence, he saw Endrance standing there, staring at him.

"Hey, Endrance," Haseo greeted casually. "...Is something wrong?"

Endrance looked down. "...No, nothing is _wrong_, per se... it's just that..."

"...What do you mean?"

"I won't be siding with you... I have other priorities."

Haseo grimaced. "...We were all wondering where the hell you ran off to. Why did you disappear like that?"

Endrance didn't respond. Haseo tried to keep from yelling at him.

After a period of silence, the blue-haired swordsman turned away. "...Well then... see you later. We will meet again... I'm just not sure where."

"...He's acting strange," Haseo commented to himself, watching Endrance disappear back into the crowds. "I wonder what he's thinking..."

Before he continued up the path, Haseo was once again interrupted, this time by his two chosen teammates for the tournament, as well as another one of his friends. He waved to them absently, still lost in thought.

"...Haseo, is something wrong?" Kuhn questioned.

"Endrance is acting weird," Haseo replied. "...Yeah, I know he's been missing for a while, but he turned up and started talking nonsense... I'm kind of worried."

"If you can, try to get in touch with him later," Atoli suggested. "...Oh, yes, Silabus. I've been meaning to ask you something..." She turned, facing Silabus. "How's Mira doing...? Is she okay?"

"You're concerned about her too, aren't you?" Silabus said. "Well... I'm not really sure what's wrong, but... the symptoms seem awfully familiar. She seems to have regained her appetite somewhat, but..."

"Well, why don't you take her to see a doctor?" Kuhn said. "I mean, I'm busy with other things, but I'm sure that we'd be able to diagnose the problem a lot easier if we took her to an expert."

Silabus nodded briefly. "...Yeah, that's a good idea. By the way, um... Kuhn, if you have any spare time, could you take care of Gaspard? Ever since I started looking after Mira, Canard has really started to slow down... he's become a lot more timid without me around..."

"...Man, this whole ordeal is just tearing apart all our lives," Kuhn muttered. "It's hard to be optimistic nowadays... I mean, I wish I could ask someone to look after him, but... everyone's just so busy, and there's too little time..."

"Well, I'm not doing much except for helping you guys out," Atoli pointed out. "...I could go and visit Gaspard at Canard every so often..."

Haseo glanced at Atoli. "That sounds like a good idea to me..." Then, he turned to Silabus. "Hey, that reminds me... how's Alkaid?"

"Icolo's a huge mess right now," Silabus said. "Alkaid's struggling just to hold them together. Sirius is trying to get Taihaku to snap out of it..."

"...Yeah, that's right," Haseo said with a nod. "He told me that Taihaku's been acting weird too..."

"I need to get going now," Silabus stated, turning and breathing a sigh. "...So much is going on, it's giving me a headache... good luck with your tournament match, you three."

Haseo looked down as Silabus left. "...Seems like everything that's been happening lately is taking its toll on all of us. I can only hope that things get better soon..."

"Silabus seems tired," Atoli observed. "I wish I could help him out, if only a little..."

"All we can do is what we've been doing," Kuhn said. "...We just have to keep pressing on. If we make it through this, it'll be much easier to pick up the pieces afterwards... Still, I'm really worried about Gaspard. I hope he'll be okay... out of all of us, he's probably the most sensitive."

"...We can't do anything about it now," Haseo said. "Let's just finish up this fight..."

**aba**

Standing atop a floating platform some distance from the arena's battle ring, Sakaki looked down and smirked. "...So this is Round 2... have fun, Haseo."

Haseo could feel a distant rage lighting aflame in him when he saw his opponents - two of them were people that he _recognized_.

"...You...!"

"Haseo, what's wrong?" Atoli questioned, concerned.

"...I know those two," Haseo snarled. "They were the first ones... to make me feel the pain of death. Their names are Iyoten and Asta..."

"They're from Kestrel," Kuhn observed. "...No wonder they're here... do you know anything else about them, Haseo?"

"The only thing I remember is that their favored targets are weak people," Haseo said. "...People who have just started to learn the basics... they're the ones they target. I fell for them too... they trick you into thinking they're helping you and then stab you in the back at the last moment."

Kuhn nodded. "...Try to stay calm. Don't let your emotions get the best of you."

"Hey, I think I remember you," the opposing team's leader, Iyoten, commented, looking at Haseo. "You were one of those guys who tried to learn about fighting from me... it's hard to imagine you'd get _this_ far."

Haseo growled. "...Yeah, I got this far. And this time, I'm gonna take you down and out!"

Asta barely had the chance to draw her broadsword before Haseo came charging at her, his scythe drawn. She brought up her weapon to block, but was knocked down almost instantly. Their third ally took to healing Asta while Iyoten went after Haseo.

"You!" The swordsman prepared to attack, but was interrupted when a bullet came from the sky and slammed into him. Struggling to lift himself to his feet, Iyoten was propelled into the air by a jet of water that had erupted under him.

Haseo, naturally, took advantage of this. Swinging his scythe in a wide arc as he leapt into the air, he knocked Iyoten into the battle ring's wall. Battered, the leader once again attempted to stand up.

"Quit it!" Asta shrieked, having recovered somewhat from her injuries. "What the hell's wrong with you! Why are you acting so crazy, Haseo!"

"I'm not showing _you_ mercy!" Haseo responded, swapping to his own broadsword and clashing with her.

Kuhn paused for a moment, thinking as he aimed his rifle again. _He __**is**__ acting pretty strange... I hate to agree with Asta, but I think he's screwed up in the head..._

He didn't notice the swordsman who was rushing toward him, blade aimed to strike his heart.

"Kuhn! Look out!"

In a flash, Atoli had put herself between Kuhn and the opposing swordsman. Withdrawing his bayonet, Kuhn quickly surveyed the damage done. The wound probably wasn't lethal, but it had to hurt... judging by the point of impact, it was probable it hadn't hit any vital organs. However, Haseo didn't seem to care.

"...You bastard!"

Breaking his clash with Asta to charge at the swordsman, the Adept knocked him away, slicing him clean in half in the process. Iyoten, who had managed to recover from his injuries for the most part, tried to attack Haseo as well, but was knocked back by the flat of the broadsword's blade. Haseo stood over Atoli, leering at his two remaining foes.

"Whoa, Haseo..." Kuhn began to step forward, but Haseo glared in his direction and he immediately backed away. Atoli was barely conscious, but she kept trying to call out to Haseo, hoping she'd be able to snap him out of it.

Iyoten and Asta decided that it wouldn't be very intelligent to attack Haseo when he was like this. He was starting to apply healing magic to Atoli, but even Kuhn couldn't approach him without repercussion...

_What... what the hell is going on with him...?_ Kuhn wondered. _He's hell-bent on protecting Atoli... but why is he trying to push me away too...?_

"H-Haseo..."

The feral glint in Haseo's eyes quickly vanished when he heard the quiet voice of the girl laying below him. Stowing his broadsword, he kneeled beside her, taking her hand.

"...why...?" Atoli's voice was weak, but she seemed displeased with Haseo. "...why did you... try to attack Kuhn...? He was just... trying to help you... and me..."

Haseo blinked. "...Kuhn? I... I tried to attack Kuhn?"

_He doesn't remember...!_ Atoli bolted upright, glancing over at the gunman, who was trying to figure out what exactly was going on. "...Kuhn, it wasn't really him... it was Skeith."

"Skeith?" Kuhn seemed surprised. "...So his Avatar took control of him... but it didn't come out. I wonder why?"

The opposing leader stepped forward, stowing his weapon. "...I forfeit. You've won this match, 'Terror of Death'."

"...Forfeit?" Haseo looked between Iyoten and Asta, confused. Then, he noticed the mangled corpse laying beside the wall of the arena. "...Oh..."

"The third guy, you killed him," Kuhn said. "I think you were already pretty angry when he came and attacked me, and Atoli blocking the attack with her body just made you totally snap. Whew, that was pretty rough... well, I guess we've won the match, so let's hightail it outta here."

Haseo looked down. "...His spirit's departed... I didn't seal him. Thank God..."

As the three left the arena, Asta looked at Iyoten. "...He's sure gotten pretty strong. I have to admit, I kind of respect him now..."

"You learn to respect people who can kill you with one swing of their weapon," Iyoten remarked. "...He was Canard's guildmaster, right? I guess that gives him even more reason to take on people like us..."

**aba**

His head hung in shame, Haseo began to walk along the path leading to the gate. Atoli tried to stop him, but it was no use.

"...Don't worry about him, Atoli," Kuhn said. "He's just going through a lot of crap right now, and he's really stressed out. I don't doubt that the AIDA had its own influence in the arena, but..."

"So you're saying he needs to be alone?" Atoli suggested.

Kuhn nodded. "Yeah, it'd probably be a good idea to leave him alone for a bit. He needs some time to think things through... you've noticed how much he's come to personally detest killing ever since he got over being the 'Terror of Death'. Of course, his Avatar is a different story, but..."

"...In a sense, I guess he always hated killing," Atoli said. "From the very first time he set foot on this world in his own body, he's had close encounters with death... and even experiences with it. He vowed revenge on people who killed after Shino was sealed, and..."

"...It's kind of strange," Kuhn observed. "I mean, yeah, he's the 'Terror of Death' and all, but at the same time, he hates death. It's almost... contradictory. He's pretty strange, that's for sure..."

"He's his own person, in his own way," Atoli said. "...If I were older, I guess I could say he's still young, and has to learn a few things in life... but I'm admittedly not too much different from him..."

Kuhn smiled. "The first step in solving a problem is admitting to yourself that you have one. That's often the hardest part... Haseo's really changed you, hasn't he?"

"...I think I changed him more than he changed me," Atoli said, giggling. "I'm worried about him, but at the same time it makes me happy that he's so worried about me... it's hard to believe that he killed someone just to protect me. It brings back memories..."

"Memories of when you two first met, I suppose," Kuhn said. "That was back when he was hunting."

"...If you don't mind, I think I'll try and catch up with him," Atoli stated, turning. "I know he probably wants to be alone, but I want to help him in any way I can..."

"I'll leave you to your own devices," Kuhn replied. "...I'm more worried about the others... I hope Gaspard is okay."

Atoli waved. "Well then, see you later, Kuhn."

**aba**

Atoli found Haseo standing in the back alley of Lumina Cloth, staring out over the cityscape. She approached him hesitantly, and when he glanced back, she almost flinched.

"...What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you, Haseo."

He responded with silence. She stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, to which he didn't react.

"...I'm sorry, I know you need some time to yourself, but... I was worried..."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me so much all the time."

"...Why did that single death affect you so much? You've killed hundreds of people in the past, and yet suddenly you can't bear to kill someone who poses a threat to you?"

He turned. "...I don't want to be the 'Terror of Death'. I don't care who I was in the past, or what I am as an Epitaph User... I don't want to kill people. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"I... guess I understand," she said. "You're trying to let go of your past, and look to the future... but it's hard. There'll be times when you slip and make a mistake... it's alright. Everyone makes mistakes... you told me that yourself, didn't you?"

"...It's hard to forgive a murderer."

"But you're not a murderer! That person wasn't innocent... he's probably killed just as many people as you, and with no reason. You have a reason behind your actions... all of them, even killing that man!"

"...Atoli-"

She interrupted him. "Even back then, you weren't a murderer! You saved my life from someone who was! You wanted to protect the weak, not kill them...!"

"That's no reason to justify my actions... I still killed people! My hands are so bloodstained that I'll never be able to wash them clean!"

"...Haseo, stop thinking like that! You killed people for a _reason!_ It doesn't matter whether or not you killed people... your reason was acceptable! Most people would honor and respect you because you killed those people... none of them would put you down, except those that wanted nothing more than to kill innocents!"

"How do _you_ know that! Don't you know I'm feared for my reputation alone!"

"What about me? Did you ever consider how I feel in all of this? I've been alone for so long, and I... I just can't go on without you!"

He was stunned into silence. It was true that he'd been contemplating suicide, but after remembering everything she'd told him about her past, he realized that she had much more of a reason for being depressed than he did. Breathing a sigh, he looked back at her.

"...I'm sorry, Atoli. I really shouldn't have..."

"It's alright, Haseo..."

"...You're not mad at me?"

"No, I'm not mad at you."

"...Thank you."

For the next several minutes, neither spoke a word. They embraced, and she consoled him as best she could while he wept on her shoulder. When he let go of her, his tears had started to dry, but his eyes were still filled with sadness.

"...Let's go back home, Haseo."

He nodded briefly in response. "Yeah... let's go back home."

**aba**

When Kuhn arrived at the base, he was surprised to find that Gaspard was not alone. A blue-haired, white-robed boy with small gold-colored horns protruding from his head was sitting next to the dog-person, chatting with him.

"...You're Zelkova, right? What are you doing with Gaspard?"

"Oh, hi there!" Zelkova waved up at Kuhn. "Well, I'd heard from Atoli earlier that there was someone with Canard who needed some company, so I came along and decided to help him out! Gaspard is truly a fascinating person... how did you manage to become friends with someone like him?"

Kuhn tilted his head. "...Huh? What are you on about?"

"He chose a physical body to fit his spiritual self!" Zelkova replied cheerfully. "There are actually very few people that think to do that... but he made sure to make some things different, hence the dog features!"

"Well, I guess I'll have to thank you for keeping him company," Kuhn said. "But, uh... aren't you the guildmaster of Moon Tree too? Don't you have responsibilities of your own?"

"Moon Tree's essentially gone," Zelkova said. "Sakaki's betrayal had a huge impact on the whole guild, and it was pretty much torn apart. All the captains are basically wanderers now... including myself and Kaede. It's unfortunate, but I'm sure we'll be able to keep going."

"...Didn't Atoli used to live there?" Kuhn observed. "What happened to her parents?"

Zelkova smiled. "Oh, they're fine. Everyone who lived there has found a new home somewhere else. I think that the rest of Atoli's family relocated themselves somewhere around here."

"...So, since Moon Tree broke down, you and the other captains haven't had much to do," Kuhn said. "Is that why Atoli told you to come and take care of Gaspard?"

"She figured I didn't have anything better to do," Zelkova said with a nod. "...She's kind of telling the truth, though... there really isn't that much to do now that places outside the cities have become so dangerous."

"...And how did he react?"

Flashing a grin at the dog-boy sitting next to him, Zelkova replied, "Oh, he seems to be just fine with me being his caretaker! He told me he thought it was nice of Atoli to ask someone else to take care of him, considering she has her own workload and couldn't come..."

"I know you're worried about me, Kuhn, but I'll be just fine!" Gaspard agreed. "Zelkova's strong enough to take on anybody! I think just being around him is making me more courageous!"

Kuhn laughed. "Well, I'm glad that you have someone to look after you. I've got a lot of work to do, so I probably won't be able to come by often, but... if I can, next time I'll bring Silabus, okay?"

"Oh, thank you!" Stumbling over his own feet, Gaspard ran over and hugged Kuhn, looking extremely grateful. "Oh, and by the way, the guild is coming along nicely! There are a ton of people coming here to take refuge, but I think I've become strong enough to handle it all!"

"...Thanks to you and Silabus, I think my dream really has come true." Kuhn looked around, observing the waterfalls on either side of the walkway he was standing on. "And Haseo, too... I can't thank you all enough. Ever since I left to join G.U., I was afraid that you guys wouldn't be able to carry on... and yet, look at how far you've come." Gently pushing Gaspard off of himself, he turned. "...I'll see you two later. I need to go back and take care of Mira."

"Bye, Kuhn," Gaspard said, waving. "Good luck!"

Zelkova nodded, bowing respectfully. "Yes, good luck! I hope I'll see you again soon."

Once he'd left the building, Kuhn began to laugh. _Atoli's such a worrywart... she'll do anything to help out someone she cares about. It's hard to believe that Zelkova agreed to it, but hell, I guess he doesn't really have that much else to do... sometimes I have to wonder about those two. If it weren't for Haseo, maybe __**they'd**__ have become a couple..._ Realizing that he was receiving quite a few odd stares from people wandering the streets, he restrained his amusement. The idea of Atoli and Zelkova being together was, strangely enough, as ridiculous as it was plausible.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Aw come on, I can't be the only one who noticed the obnoxious absence of Zelkova in this fic. I had to put him in SOMEWHERE. XD_

_Things will be getting worse in the next few chapters - there's a scene where I might have to up my rating a bit. That's all I'm saying for now, though._


	24. Mirage

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: Alright, for some reason or other, the formatting changed again, and it completely borked the dividers in half of my fics that weren't already fixed from when they didn't accept that divider. So while I'm too lazy (and tired) to go back and fix all the chapters now, I'll get around to it later._

_This is going to be another rather long chapter – I couldn't figure out how to fix it up so it would be shorter, especially since I wanted to include all of these scenes in the same chapter. So please forgive me for all the long chapters. XD_

_Disclaimer: I do not own .hack/ or Bandai Namco._

**XXIV Chapter 24: Mirage XXIV**

Haseo was silent when he arrived in the arena city the next day. Kuhn gave one glance at him and decided not to inquire; he had a feeling that Atoli's previous discussion hadn't gone over so well. Kuhn decided to lead the way up to the arena counter, hoping to find out who their next opponent would be. Before he could get very far, however, a panicked-looking Alkaid rushed over.

"Haseo!" Her sudden exclamation caught his attention immediately. "C'mon, Haseo, you've gotta help me!"

Haseo turned, silently inquiring as to Alkaid's plight. Atoli glanced over, worried.

"...Silabus is in trouble," Alkaid stated. "He's... been hurt. Taihaku attacked him unprecedented, and now he's..."

"Taihaku attacked him?" Haseo nodded, walking down the brief path to Icolo. Kuhn stayed for a moment, shocked by the news, and then followed him.

"...Is there anything we can do, Alkaid?" Atoli inquired. "Is he... still alive?"

Alkaid shook her head. "Not for much longer. I'm really not sure what's up with Taihaku... he was never like this before. But he's infected with AIDA, right? When someone like that attacks someone else, doesn't it usually mean if they die, they get sealed?"

"I'm sorry," Atoli said quickly. "I-I mean... I know you two are really close... I'm friends with Silabus too, but... he's something more to you. I'll go now... I shouldn't have delayed this so long in an emergency situation... I'm the healer here. Haseo knows how to use healing magic, but... he's not good at it..."

"Come on, then!" Alkaid said, grabbing Atoli by the arm and dragging her off. "You might be able to save his life! We've gotta hurry!"

Upon arriving in the structure, Atoli immediately looked around to make sure that Taihaku wasn't still there. Alkaid shook her head, but Atoli only settled when she realized that there was no unpleasant sound emanating from anywhere inside. She walked over to the center of the room, seeing Haseo attempting to apply healing magic to a virtually mutilated Silabus.

"...What happened?" Atoli questioned before gently nudging Haseo aside and taking his place.

"Taihaku was never really partial to Silabus moving in here," Alkaid said. "I mean, he used the excuse that Silabus had only ever been in one arena tournament and didn't even come out as the Emperor... so he didn't deserve a place in Icolo. Sirius disagreed at first as well, but he didn't want to stir up more trouble, so he let me take him in... but ever since Taihaku started acting weird, he's been becoming more violent. I knew it was only a matter of time... I should've had Silabus leave."

"...He seemed to be alive when we arrived," Kuhn said. "I'm not so sure about that now..."

"He's breathing," Atoli pointed out. "He's still alive... just unconscious. And he's probably going to be weak when he wakes up... he lost a lot of blood."

Kuhn sighed. "...I hope he'll pull through."

"It doesn't make much sense that he'd be sealed even if he died now," Haseo said. "Either way, though, we've got to try and keep him alive..."

Seeing Alkaid staring at him, Kuhn stood and allowed her to take his place watching over Silabus. He continued to observe from a distance, and only settled when he noticed the swordsman's eyes opening.

"...I... I'm sorry... everyone."

"No, don't apologize," Atoli said. "It's not your fault. And what's most important now is that you're still alive."

"Still... I didn't want to cause trouble... for anyone," Silabus said, his voice ragged. "I should've left... when I had the chance."

"Don't be like that, Sil," Alkaid stated. "We're just glad you're alive. Taihaku did a number on you, but it looks like we arrived just in time."

"He's... never done something like that," Silabus said. "I guess... he really has fallen victim to the AIDA..."

"Enough about that," Alkaid said. "Uh, by the way, Atoli... how'd you know about us?"

"It was fairly obvious," Atoli replied simply, giggling.

Kuhn scratched his head. "Silabus told us that you were pretty busy trying to keep things together at Icolo, but I didn't realize you'd be _this_ busy..."

"Well, yeah, I guess," Alkaid muttered. "...Look, I'm sorry to worry you guys so much, but..."

"Silabus is our friend too," Haseo said. "We want to do anything we can to help him, just like you. We came just in time to avert disaster, I guess..."

Their conversation was interrupted when the door opened, revealing a towering, animal-faced man. Haseo turned, bowing respectfully.

"...How is he?" Sirius asked, obviously referring to Silabus.

"He's fine," Alkaid said. "A little weak, but Atoli has some great healing abilities. You'd hardly know that Taihaku attacked him now."

"That's good," Sirius stated, walking over to Atoli. "...Thank you."

Atoli blushed, staring up at him. "W-what are you... thanking me for? I... I only wanted to help Silabus..."

"You've done a lot more than just helping him," Sirius said. "You're in the tournament with Haseo, aren't you? You're helping to save Taihaku as well..."

"I... I haven't really done much," Atoli said. "I'm still... not really in control of my own power... I can't help Haseo that much..."

"Don't berate yourself," Haseo said. "You're just as much of an Epitaph User as Kuhn and I. Just because you're a little newer to it doesn't mean that you can't help out."

Atoli nodded slightly. "Um... th-thank you..."

"Even saving one life makes a difference," Sirius stated. "It doesn't matter who it is... especially when you're working to save others as well."

"Y'know, Sirius..." Kuhn glanced at the Emperor, smiling a little. "I always heard you were an arrogant, prideful jerk, but I never imagined you were a softie deep inside. Seems like you can be pretty friendly when you want to."

"...You're lucky to have seen this side of me," Sirius said. "Haseo has had a great influence on me... but I suppose you could say I've always been like this. Alkaid saw that from the start..."

Atoli stood. "Um, the next round of the tournament is today, isn't it? Sirius, are you going to be watching?"

"I don't want to be around those lowlifes," Sirius responded, obvious irritation in his tone. "If it were a normal tournament, I would say yes... but this one is far from normal. The crowds are inhuman this time around..."

"Okay, then," Atoli said. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

Sirius lowered his head. "...You shouldn't apologize so much. There's nothing to apologize for."

And with that, the Emperor had taken his leave. Atoli stared in the direction that he had left, still feeling a little ashamed.

"He's not mad at you, Atoli," Alkaid insisted. "He talks like that all the time. I think he actually respects you a little."

"Respects... me?" Atoli shook her head. "...He can't possibly... he's an Arena Emperor, and I'm..."

"There's a lot to respect about you," Alkaid said. "Your status has nothing to do with it. I'm pretty grateful that you saved Silabus, for one..."

Silabus had found the strength to stand, although he was still a bit shaky on his feet. "...Yeah, I almost feel like brand new. Thank you, Atoli."

"Oh... you're welcome," Atoli said quickly. "Um... we should go now, shouldn't we?"

Haseo nodded. "Yeah. We should go now. We don't want to miss the next round."

"Thank you again," Silabus said, waving. "I... I can't express how grateful I am."

"Neither can I," Alkaid agreed. "Good luck in the tournament. You should be going up against Matsu next."

Haseo almost stopped in mid-step. "...Matsu!"

"You knew he was in the tournament, right?" Alkaid said. "Well, he managed to beat all the challengers up until now. I think you should be careful, though... you have to beat him. There are some pretty suspicious characters in the finals."

"...I'll keep that in mind," Haseo said. "Thanks for telling me. I'll know what to look forward to in this battle."

**aba**

For once, Haseo missed the presence of the arena commentator and his lighthearted speeches as he was warped into the arena's battle ring. All he had now to listen to was Sakaki's taunts... the crowd was filled with agitated shouting, most of the observers highly displeased with the fact that Haseo had made it this far.

He felt a pang of sympathy for his opponent. He felt that Matsu had his own reasons for entering the tournament, and perhaps he wanted to work his way up to the top to see if he could restore Moon Tree... a grand dream, but impossible for someone like him. Haseo wanted more than anything to make sure that Matsu wasn't killed by the suspicious individuals Alkaid had spoken of, but at the same time, he hated the idea of having to overpower the poor man.

Matsu, however, seemed thrilled with the idea of a full-force duel. As soon as he appeared, he drew his weapon, a sleek rifle with a jagged bayonet attached. Haseo wondered if Matsu was going to use his broadsword this time.

"So you're going up against me again, huh?" the flame-haired Adept said, flashing a grin. "I had a feeling you'd be able to fight your way up here. I wanted another chance to take you on. And I know you're worried about me and all, but I don't need sympathy."

Haseo stared. "...Sympathy? It's not sympathy, Matsu. It's concern for your life and your spirit. The guys you'd be going up against if you beat me are way out of your league... if they kill you, you won't come back."

"It's that AIDA stuff, eh," Matsu said. "I don't really care. Old man Antares and I were supposed to be fighting in this round, but he went up against those guys instead. Haven't seen him since."

"Antares..." Haseo repeated. "...He must've gotten sealed too... dammit..."

"Guy had a pretty good track record in the arena, so that's why he was picked," Matsu said. "He wanted to awaken his old fighting spirit or something like that... it's a shame he never got to make it up there."

Haseo grimaced. "...Matsu, I know you won't take an apology from me. But I have to beat you this time."

"Give it your best," Matsu said. "I told you I'm not holding back, and you'd better not either!"

Drawing his scythe, Haseo charged against his opponent, clashing with Matsu's bayonet. He made sure to keep an eye out for his teammates; he didn't want a repeat of last time. Fortunately, however, Matsu's teammates didn't seem quite as intent on killing, and Kuhn and Atoli seemed perfectly capable of holding their own.

Leaping back, Haseo prepared to attack again, but remembered too late that Matsu wasn't just good at melee. A blast from the rifle knocked him back and into the arena wall.

"...Grr..." He stood up again, but Matsu had already arrived at his location, and placed the bayonet to his throat. The match would've been far too short to be satisfactory if he just forfeited, though... he wracked his brain for an answer, even knowing the slightest movement would result in his immediate defeat.

His answer came when Matsu staggered backward, then turned and glared at Atoli, who was suddenly standing right behind him.

"You've got guts, girlie," Matsu snarled, charging at her. Atoli blocked the blade of his weapon with her staff; a risky maneuver, but it would have to do.

"Matsu, you have to understand," Atoli said. "I want Moon Tree restored just as much as you, but... Haseo's goal puts the entire world at stake. I can't just let him lose."

Matsu tilted his head a little. "...Huh, you've gotten in pretty good with him, I see. Why don't _you_ take the lead role instead? I love a woman that can fight like a man!"

Kuhn blinked, observing the interchange between the two guildmates. "Huh, I wonder if they've even talked before this... I don't think Atoli has that kind of perspective on things. I mean, she probably thinks that women can fight just as good as-"

He was interrupted when the whirring of blades was heard above his head. Haseo landed beside him, glaring and shoving away the now-unconscious foe with his foot.

"You shouldn't get so distracted!"

"What happened to protecting Atoli, anyway?" Kuhn inquired. "You used to be so protective of her, you wouldn't let her do anything on her own..."

"She's grown up now," Haseo replied. "She can handle herself. Even against someone like him."

Kuhn turned once again to observe while Haseo occupied himself with the remaining opponent. Something was different about Atoli's fighting technique... before, she had been strictly a magic user, but now she seemed to be perfectly capable of fighting with her staff as well. Combining these two techniques, she was quickly overpowering even the hot-blooded Matsu.

"Hey, you're better than I thought you were!" Matsu commented. "I was gonna throw this away, but I guess one more time can't hurt. Especially against Haseo's girlfriend."

Haseo almost stepped in to assist Atoli, but thought better of it. Dueling was allowed in the arena, and since he'd already disposed of Matsu's teammates, he didn't have to worry about saving his own hide. He was more interested in seeing how well Atoli could fight for herself... no matter how concerned he was, he knew that sometimes he wouldn't be there to help her.

He noticed that Matsu was using a different broadsword. He wondered if perhaps the old one held some bad memories of his past.

Atoli's weapon was different as well... Haseo hadn't noticed the change, but the staff she used now was one that seemed almost to resemble her Avatar, a teal-colored glow emanating from the six spines protruding from a ring attached to the head of the staff. He wondered where she'd gotten that... he knew the resemblance couldn't be a coincidence, as he could feel Innis' presence in the weapon as well.

This staff also seemed to hold up against the brute force of Matsu's broadsword attacks. Even with the change in weapons, Matsu was starting to lose his ground under a combination of staff attacks and water spells.

He wondered if Atoli knew about that weakness.

Finally having been worn down, Matsu stowed his weapon and promptly collapsed against the arena floor. Atoli bent over him, observing him to make sure that she hadn't wounded him too badly.

"There you go again, showing sympathy for your enemy," Matsu said. "I guess some old habits die hard."

Atoli giggled. "I wouldn't consider you an enemy, Matsu. You're more like an old friend. I can tell the difference between allies and enemies just fine."

"...Have to say, Haseo's changed you a lot," Matsu observed. "You used to be a sniveling wimp way back when. Now you can fight just as good as anyone with a bladed weapon... and more importantly, you have the will to do it. Look at me, the loser again, and by _your_ hand too. You should be proud of yourself."

"I'm sorry I got between your duel with Haseo," Atoli said.

"Hey, don't apologize for it," Matsu responded, slowly climbing to his feet. "You're really starting to become a lot like him. Fighting against you almost felt like fighting against him."

Atoli smiled. "I guess I should take that as a compliment... I've looked up to him for a long time, and, well..."

"Yeah, I get it now," Matsu said. "You wanted to become more like him so he'd be able to tolerate you. Well, I think he's changed too. Softened up a bit from the old 'Terror of Death'... can't really say if that's a good thing or bad thing."

Haseo stepped forward. "...I have a few things I wanna know about you, Matsu. Would you mind coming with me afterward?"

"Hey, it's not as good as an all-out fistfight, but I guess it'll do!" Matsu said. "I'll go with ya. Back alley alright?"

"Fine by me," Haseo said. "...Well, at least our opponent was sane this time."

**aba**

"First things first, I wanna ask _you_ a question. What happened to the old 'Terror of Death'? You've lost your fangs."

Matsu sat on a ledge, glancing up at Haseo, who seemed distracted by the city lights. He was paying enough attention to respond, however.

"...I guess it's kinda like that. But I'll be honest, I was aching for the chance to fight you again."

"That's the spirit," Matsu said. "Well, I'm too beat up to fight you now, but I'm sure we'll get the chance another time. Thanks, by the way."

"For what?"

"For worrying about me enough to save my life. Sakaki's gone nuts, and I wouldn't put it past him at this point to try something drastic. I doubt he would've answered my request anyhow."

Haseo sighed. "...Atoli's still upset with herself for freeing him the first time. I can see why she's upset, but she shouldn't blame herself... how was she supposed to know he'd turn out like this?"

"...Man, that girl has got to stop blaming herself," Matsu said. "As far as I know, she's been like that from the start. I can kind of understand... there aren't a lot of people who liked her outside of Moon Tree."

"You're more infamous than anything," Haseo pointed out. "Why is it you started killing anyhow?"

"Well, that's a bit of a long story," Matsu said. "I was always a bit too hotheaded for everyone else's tastes, and most people just got fed up with me. I couldn't really make friends 'cuz I'd just get into fights with people... I guess it was kind of getting back at them. It seems pretty childish now that I look back on it."

"...I guess," Haseo said. "But you can't just throw away that broadsword."

Matsu looked down. "It's a pretty heavy reminder of my past. I got rid of the sword I used to use because it scars my memory just to look at it... but I honestly considered just dumping broadswords altogether and living life as a gunman."

"There's more to it than that," Haseo said. "Sure, you used to be a pretty nasty person, but... that's what makes you, you. You can't change the past, just look forward to the future. Throwing away the broadsword isn't going to do a damn thing."

"I considered it a symbol of my reform," Matsu said. "Up until I went up against you in the Demon Palace, I didn't use that sword because it was stained with the blood of countless innocents. I didn't even want to look at the damned thing anymore... I thought you'd be the best opportunity to throw it away, if you beat me."

Haseo wondered if his words were even getting through Matsu's skull; he'd always known the man as stubborn and virtually impossible to sway, but judging from the drastic change from what he used to be, he was, indeed, capable of being swayed. He just hoped that his determination would outmatch Matsu's stubbornness.

"...Haseo, I kinda admire you. I mean, here I am, losing to you twice... if anything, I'd say the shame of getting beaten by you all the time outmatches the shame of being a murderer. So you call the shots here, alright? What do you think I should do?"

"Keep it," Haseo responded. Matsu stared for a moment, then nodded.

"Yeah, I think I know what you're getting at. I'm not ditching it. But next time, you'd better use yours, too!"

"You'd better live long enough for there to be a next time," Haseo stated.

Matsu laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna let myself die so easily. Rest assured there'll be a next time!"

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Atoli may have seemed a bit overpowered there, but she really didn't get much of a chance to shine in the games even after she Awakened. Haseo is still the main character, though, keep in mind._

_Also, if you don't recognize Atoli's weapon, then you need to do a certain quest in Volume 2 that will be mentioned next chapter..._


	25. Broken

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: And another really long period of time between updates. Sorry about that._

_In case you haven't noticed, I've been putting the chapter number in Roman numerals next to the chapter name at the start. Keep that in mind when I get to chapter 30. ;)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco or anything like that. I'm just a measly peasant. D:_

**XXV Chapter 25: Broken XXV**

As Haseo walked along the road to his house, he couldn't get the thought of that weird weapon Atoli had used out of his head. He hadn't noticed anything in the heat of the fight, but something seemed odd about his scythe, too... it was almost as if it had been replaced by another one. He didn't recall having done that, though.

He wanted to ask Atoli about that. He decided that when he got home, he would ask her. She had gone on ahead of him, and was probably already there by now.

Sure enough, when he opened the door to his house, he was greeted by both Atoli and Ren. The dog seemed considerably more tame, and in spite of his obvious joy at seeing Haseo again, he made no move to knock him to the ground.

"He missed you, too," Atoli said. "But he understands that knocking people over and licking their faces off isn't very nice."

"He sure is growing up fast," Haseo observed. "Not too long ago, he was impossible to keep under control. He seems to have gotten a little bigger too."

Atoli giggled. "You think? I've been having to train more often just to keep him from dragging me off."

Stepping inside, Haseo immediately went to the sofa and flopped down on it, still worn out from the day's events. Ren walked over and almost jumped up as well, but Atoli indicated that she wasn't too pleased with the idea.

"I don't mind," Haseo said, confused.

"I don't want him to crowd you out," Atoli said. "Plus, I don't know if you're allergic to dogs. He's been shedding a lot more recently."

The dog reluctantly laid next to the sofa, instead of on it. Haseo glanced down at him, smiling a little in spite of himself.

"Well, I'm not allergic. I think I would've been able to tell by now, since he's been hanging around _my_ home all this time."

"I guess so," Atoli agreed, sitting next to him. "Um... you seemed like you wanted to ask me something before. What was it?"

"That weird weapon you were using," Haseo said. "It felt a lot like an Avatar."

"...Antares wanted to tell you this in person, but you were never around when he was available," Atoli said. "So... he contacted me instead. He said he wanted to fulfill Phyllo's dying wish."

"Dying wish?"

"Yes... you were friends with Phyllo, weren't you?" Atoli said, her tone sullen. "...Well, he's gone now... ascended... we won't be seeing him again. Not for a long time... but he wanted to entrust something to you. Knowledge that would make you stronger... and these weapons."

She drew out her staff, its eerie form materializing in her hands. "They're called Lost Weapons. They're relics of the Phases, taking the form that most fits their user. I probably should've told you this sooner, but... I swapped out your old scythe for a new one."

"I _thought_ there was something weird about that," Haseo observed. "So... you gave me one of these 'Lost Weapons' as well?"

"...Phyllo originally wanted to entrust it to you," Atoli said. "There are eight Epitaph Users, and you're one of them... possibly the most important, being the 'Terror of Death'. I can't see any other reason why he would choose you in specific. He wasn't expecting his condition to worsen, and so he passed on the information to Antares before he died..."

"I'm hardly the most important Epitaph User," Haseo insisted. "...It doesn't matter either way, though. Phyllo passed on his will to Antares... damn it."

"Haseo?"

"I have to beat those guys in the next round," Haseo said. "Antares wasn't able to tell me directly, and I don't want to shame Phyllo's memory. I have to get him back no matter what. Those guys in the next tournament round were the ones that killed him... I've got a bone to pick with them for that."

"Matsu mentioned a name not too long before he went back home," Atoli said. "He said that the leader of the team was named Hetero. The three of them don't look like normal people... they're infected, that much is obvious, but I get the feeling... it wasn't their fault." Her tone lowered. "...It must've been Sakaki's doing..."

Haseo nodded briefly, understanding that she despised the subject. He'd need to think about the other things Atoli had mentioned anyhow.. Phyllo's last will, as well as what these Lost Weapons stood for. He couldn't let his mind stray... the mere idea of thinking about what Sakaki had done made him want to tear the man apart.

_Not only has he insulted Atoli, but he spat on Phyllo's name as well... he __**will**__ pay the full price the second I get the chance._

**aba**

He woke up, hearing a persistent knocking on the door. Glancing at the clock, he shook his head and prepared to lay down again.

Before he could, though, he noticed something different. She wasn't there.

Dragging himself out of bed, he went to answer the door. The blue-haired man on the other side was carrying an only partially-healed girl.

"...Haseo."

Kuhn could already feel the distress radiating from Haseo. He stepped forward, gently pushing him aside and laying the battered Atoli down on the sofa. Ren followed behind him, limping on one paw and making soft whimpering noises.

"...The hell happened?" Haseo demanded, looking between Atoli and her pet. "Why are they _both_...?"

"I'm not sure what exactly happened," Kuhn said. "I'm sorry I can't tell you the details... Atoli should be able to once she wakes up. I couldn't call Mira to help heal her, so I was forced to use my limited talents... and as for the dog, well... it looks like he got beat up too. He was a lot easier to heal, though."

Haseo grimaced. "...I don't like this. I'm gonna try healing her myself... I can't let her stay like that. You take care of Ren, alright? Atoli would be devastated if anything happened to him."

"Judging from his wounds, I'd say he was trying to protect his master," Kuhn observed. "...But I guess there's only so much a dog can do... the poor thing."

Ren seemed to understand Haseo's silent demand, and quietly curled up next to Kuhn, still whining a little. Kuhn did his best to ease the dog's fears, gently stroking the back of his neck.

"...Atoli..." Haseo turned back to his girlfriend, hoping to heal her enough to at least close her wounds. "...Come on, wake up."

He decided that he'd had enough of beatings. First Silabus, and now Atoli... Silabus' case was fairly obvious, as Alkaid had indicated the person who had attacked him, but Atoli's case was still a mystery. He had the distinct feeling he didn't want to know.

He was relieved to see her wounds closing. For some reason, his healing magic always seemed to work better on her than it did other people... perhaps that was a side effect of their bond.

"...huh...?" She opened her eyes slowly, blinking as she took in his visage. "...oh... Haseo... thank God..."

"What happened?" Haseo inquired immediately, concern flaring in his aura.

"It... Haseo... it was Sakaki."

Haseo stared. "...What? Sakaki?"

"Yes..." Atoli spoke slowly, almost as if she was trying to hide her emotion. "...I was taking Ren out for an evening walk... the air was warm enough, so I decided to walk around with him a little longer... but then Sakaki came... Ren tried to protect me, but... he was so quickly overpowered..."

"...What did Sakaki do to you!"

"He's... he's gone mad," Atoli stated. "I... I don't remember... all of what happened afterward, but... all I know is that... he must've..."

Haseo snarled. "...He didn't... that bastard..."

"...Huh, I guess that's what happened," Kuhn said. "...Haseo, you have to take good care of her. She was already betrayed utterly by Sakaki, and this counts as the final nail in the coffin... she's torn apart emotionally, I can feel it. Don't let her get hurt anymore."

"...Kuhn..." Atoli said quietly, glancing over. "...Thank you..."

"I'm really sorry that all this happened," Kuhn said. "...I wish I could've done something to prevent it, but I was coming back from checking up on Mira and I didn't see you until afterward..."

"...It's alright," Atoli said. "Don't be upset, Kuhn. It's not your fault..."

Haseo gently picked up Atoli, holding her close. "...Don't worry. I'm here."

"...Haseo..." She responded by hugging him tightly, almost hurting him. "...Oh, Haseo!"

He fell silent as she started sobbing uncontrollably. He wanted to do something, anything, to console her, but knew that he couldn't do much other than be there for her. It was a traumatizing experience, especially so for her... he couldn't do anything more, and he resented that fact.

Kuhn gave the two some space, observing from a distance. Even though Ren had fallen asleep, he found the dog's presence comforting considering the situation.

"...Atoli, there is no way I'll let this go unpunished."

"...You're... you're the best person I've ever known, Haseo... thank you... so much... for helping me..."

"...You're welcome... just remember, no matter what happens... I'll be there for you."

"H-Haseo..."

"...You should get some rest. I'll let you sleep with me tonight."

"Th-thank you... so much..."

Kuhn stood, his expression blank. "...I guess I should stay over here tonight and help you take care of her."

"That's fine," Haseo said. "I don't mind if you stay over, but you don't need to."

"I wanna help out Atoli," Kuhn stated. "Remember, I'm worried about her too... if there's anything I can do to help, let me know."

"...Thanks," Haseo said. "I should be able to take care of her for now, but if I need something, I'll tell you."

Kuhn nodded briefly, then walked over to sit down on the sofa as Haseo and Atoli took their leave. Ren stood and moved closer to Kuhn, looking up at him with an expression of sorrow.

"...I'm sorry, Ren. I couldn't do much to help her... I know you're probably upset too 'cuz you couldn't protect her, but... things happen. You tried your best."

The dog rested his head on Kuhn's foot, a silent response to his reassurance. The gunman continued to stare at the depressed animal, wondering if there was anything he could do to help.

"There are times I wish dogs and people could talk to each other... y'know, in the same language. You could tell me everything that's on your mind, Ren..."

Before long, Ren had fallen asleep again, but Kuhn continued to keep an eye on him. He was almost as concerned about Ren as he was Atoli...

**aba**

Haseo was once again assaulted by the inhabitants of Lumina Cloth upon his arrival. Something seemed different... to him, at least, they seemed to be targeting _Atoli_ as well. Shoving the assailants out of the way, he shot each and every one of them a glare before moving on up to the counter.

The streets cleared out immediately once everyone realized that Haseo was perfectly willing to defend himself if need be - and perfectly _capable_ as well. There were very few who dared to take on the 'Terror of Death', even considering the state the city was in.

Atoli, on the other hand, was seen as a viable target, being a member of Moon Tree. She had earned her own amount of fame by now due to having participated in all three arena tournaments as Haseo's teammate.

Finally, the black-clad Adept could no longer withstand the pressure. Remembering the rules that Sakaki had enacted, he drew his scythe, glaring threateningly at the onlookers.

"Don't even _think_ about touching her. Fighting her is the same as fighting _me_."

This managed to deter the attackers. Haseo sighed, stowing his weapon and walking over to the arena counter. Silabus and Alkaid immediately rushed over to him, more than slightly concerned.

"Don't worry about me, you two. I'll be fine."

"...Haseo, you looked like you were in some trouble," Silabus said. "You pulled your weapon on them... are you being influenced by the AIDA too?"

Haseo waved his hand. "I'm not like them. You need to stop poking your nose into other peoples' business."

"Haseo..." Atoli reprimanded quietly, quickly shutting him up.

"...He really is acting different," Silabus observed. "Ever since he started coming here, he's slowly been reverting back to his old self... it pains me to see him in this state."

"I'm kinda scared myself," Alkaid said. "I'm worried that he's gonna turn on his own allies soon..."

"He already has," Atoli said. "I think no matter how much he denies it, the AIDA aura is influencing him as well..."

Haseo chose to remain silent, not wanting to start an argument. Silabus gave Atoli a concerned look, noticing she seemed considerably more withdrawn than usual.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Alkaid inquired of the Cleric. "_You're _acting kinda weird too."

"...Um..." Atoli tried to think of a way to avoid the subject, but the conversation was abruptly ended when Kuhn walked up, hanging his head and looking somewhat forlorn. Silabus observed Kuhn's state and wondered why he wasn't his normal cheerful self.

"...Don't bother them," Haseo warned. "Atoli's a wreck right now, and Kuhn's getting influenced by that..."

Silabus' concern only grew. "What happened to her?"

"She'll tell you in her own time," Haseo said. "You should leave her alone for now."

"Are you sure she's gonna be able to fight?" Alkaid asked.

"...Whatever happens, I won't let her die," Haseo growled. "...Not by Sakaki's hands..."

Atoli remained silent; Kuhn appeared to be trying to avoid the subject, and stepped up to the counter to place their entry, still looking sullen. Silabus sighed, understanding that the tension wouldn't allow them to speak anytime soon.

As the three walked over to the transporter to prepare for the match, Silabus stared in their direction. He shook his head and sighed again.

"...Look, I'm sorry, but Kuhn enlisted me to take care of Mira. She's getting a bit better, but she's still..."

Alkaid nodded. "...Hey, it's alright. Sirius said he wanted to stay away from Taihaku at all costs, so I don't think Icolo is safe right now... mind if I go with you?"

"I don't mind," Silabus said. "...And thanks for the concern."

"Hey, it's nothing," Alkaid said. "You know I just wanna help you out..."

Silabus turned. "Alright then, I'll go check up on Mira..."

"...Now that I think about it, something seemed really off about Atoli," Alkaid commented. "She seemed like... something had broken her spirit. The poor girl... she's been through so much, and there isn't much I can do to help her..."

"I'm sure she'll tell us what's wrong in time," Silabus said. "I don't think it's a good idea to force it out of her. She'd probably break down if we tried that..."

"...I think it has something to do with Sakaki, for some reason," Alkaid said. "It... kinda makes me regret..."

"Alkaid?"

"No, nothing. Don't mind me."

**abcba**

_Author's Note: I need some input here. Should I up the rating? The scene with Atoli will be referenced again soon, and you'll understand why I'm asking that once you see it. This is more pre-emptive, though, considering the scene's implication._

_In fact, I may just go ahead and upload the next one along with this one. That'll help peoples' decisions. XD_


	26. Darkness

**Crimson Twilight**

_Author's Notes: ...and here comes the reason I asked the question last chapter. So I'd like some input, please._

_Also, strong hinting at what's wrong with Mira. If you aren't able to get it now, then may as well wait until the next chapter or so._

_And some intense interaction between Haseo and Atoli..._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything... I swear! If I did, I'd... wait, no, never mind. No point in considering what I'd do with .hack if I owned it, BECAUSE I DON'T. Happy?_

**XXVI Chapter 26: Darkness XXVI**

The response of the crowd to Haseo's returning fell on deaf ears this time. He was tired of listening to their outbursts... and after what had happened in the city earlier, he was in _no mood_ to deal with lunatics out for his head. Staring across the battle ring, he waited rather impatiently for his opponents to make their entrance.

He could hear Sakaki's cackling in the background, but ignored it. It was clear to everyone present that the Terror of Death was _not happy_.

Of course, that was just what Sakaki wanted - and he knew it. Watching the three opponents appear on the other end of the ring, Haseo withheld the urge to charge at them before they could even draw their weapons.

_These guys aren't at fault. Sakaki's the one at fault... these guys just happened to get caught up in his schemes._

"...Looks like these guys all use bladed weapons," Kuhn pointed out. "With a healer on our side, we have the advantage, but..."

"Atoli's not up to fighting," Haseo stated. "We have to keep an eye out for her. She won't be able to defend herself if she's attacked."

"...I'm sorry, Haseo," Atoli said, hanging her head shamefully. "...Once again... I'm completely useless..."

Haseo glanced back at her. "...It's fine. I understand. Just try and stay calm."

"H-Haseo..." Atoli nodded briefly, memories of last night's troubles lingering in her mind. She glanced up at Sakaki, who was now staring at her coldly with a vengeful glint in his eyes.

_...No. I'm not going to let him break me. No matter what happens... I know Haseo will protect me. And if I can't help him out, I'm just a liability... I'm going to have to do my best._

The leader of the opposing team was a young man with short red hair; he, along with his teammates, were dressed in unusual clothing, showing clear signs of infection. Haseo could see the despair in the man's eyes; he was a slave in his own body, unable to do anything but act on his superior's orders.

"...So that's Hetero," Haseo said. "...I guess his teammates are related to him or something. They all... seem to have a link. Not just the AIDA, but a deeper connection... he doesn't want to fight me, but he can't avoid it. Damn it..."

Sakaki snapped his fingers, and suddenly the opposing team's leader was charging at Haseo, his weapon drawn. Haseo attempted to block the scythe with his own, but it was no use; he was knocked back by the sheer force of the collision. The attack had been too sudden; Haseo realized that Sakaki was the one in the battle ring this time, not Hetero. And the worst part was, Sakaki didn't even have to worry about saving his own hide - he just ordered his helpless slaves to do his bidding.

He could do _anything he wanted_, in the blink of an eye. And it wasn't even Hetero's fault.

Haseo growled, swapping to his broadsword and attempting to retaliate. However, once again, Hetero outmatched him in speed, knocking him down and _keeping_ him down for a brief duration. His emotions were getting in the way; he was hesitating, something he couldn't do in a match such as this.

"Haseo, look out!" Kuhn called.

The Adept was thrown forcefully to the side of the arena, and a sickening _crunch_ was heard as he slammed into the arena wall. One of Hetero's teammates had impaled Haseo on his lance and then remorselessly flung him against the wall.

Atoli rushed to Haseo's side, kneeling next to him. Kuhn realized he was on his own - not a good situation, considering he was terrible at melee combat.

"...Aw damn, I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this. Haseo wanted to cure these guys so badly..."

Glowing yellow patterns appeared on the gunman's skin; the opposing team responded by unleashing the AIDA that resided within them. It was an exact copy of the spider AIDA that had infected Bordeaux in the Holy Palace; however, its body was filled with luminous red fibers, almost like blood vessels in its transparent, gelatinous body. Kuhn realized that this AIDA was not to be taken lightly... it may have looked like Oswald, but there was something _much_ worse about this one.

He could hear Sakaki's laughter echoing in the background. "This is my most prized possession. It's a mutation of the Oswald AIDA... known as Grunwald. It should be able to take out a weakling like _you_ without even flinching."

"...This isn't gonna be easy," Kuhn observed, glancing down at the mangled Haseo. "...He has to recover. He can't fight in the state he's in now..."

The incessant ringing in Atoli's ears was getting more persistent by the second. She could hear the tortured screams of her opponent... they were _begging_ for help, _begging_ for someone, _anyone_, to save them. She almost felt like crying... Sakaki had not only pursued her and Haseo relentlessly, trying to break them and kill them at every corner, but now he was dragging innocent boys who had nothing to do with the conflict into this fight.

_...Sakaki... he's truly become a monster... he's gone past the point of redemption. I... I won't be able to forgive him... __**ever.**_

As Magus charged at Grunwald, blocking the rain of webbing material that the AIDA threw at it, Kuhn realized the futility of his effort. He couldn't stand up to this AIDA... this was an AIDA that only Skeith could take on, and he knew it, but he had no choice in the matter. Even with the shield, the sticky substance clung to Magus, binding its limbs and making its movement more difficult.

He managed to evade the spider's swiping attack by less than an inch, retaliating with a veritable storm of small green spirit bullets. Even if he couldn't do much more, Kuhn was determined to protect Haseo until he could fight again... and that determination was showing in his Avatar as well; Magus' strength seemed to have increased sevenfold from Grunwald's first attack.

Sakaki pondered Magus' reaction as he observed the fight. _So its user's willpower directly affects its own power... this could make things a little... difficult. Perhaps if I were able to __**steal**__ the Avatar, then it would come in handy... an Avatar infected with AIDA clearly has far more willpower... and outright strength... than one controlled by a human._

Kuhn paid no mind to Sakaki's observation. The leaves on Magus' arms outstretched, shining as he unleashed emerald-colored beams of light upon the enemy. Grunwald flinched, but countered with its own attack, firing off a stream of webbing and catching Magus within its grasp.

Sakaki had intended to order the AIDA to attack the helpless Magus, but it turned out that the Avatar wasn't so helpless after all. It had torn out of the webbing with no effort whatsoever and unleashed a group of spirit bombs upon Grunwald.

Grunwald had no way to destroy the spirit bombs, and they seemingly clung to the surface of its body like a magnet. Magus charged its power for only a moment before setting them all off at once; the ensuing explosion nearly destroyed Grunwald's barrier completely, and definitely opened a few holes large enough to drain its power.

"...What!" Sakaki screamed in surprise. "...How could he have... what have I miscalculated? How could a weakling Avatar like Magus possibly have..."

Kuhn had opted to spirit-drain Grunwald as soon as possible, but the AIDA had other ideas. The tables had turned without Sakaki's knowledge; he was too stunned by the ferocity of Magus' attack to notice that Magus was now once again bound, and this time, unable to escape.

Sakaki finally noticed this and immediately took advantage of the situation. Snapping his fingers again, he ordered Grunwald to trap Atoli in its web as well.

"_**...Don't you **__**dare**__** even **__**think**__** about laying a finger on her!**_"

He realized his mistake almost too late. A stone figure, clad in gold and black armor with rings of energy shielding its joints, charged up from seemingly nowhere and tore Grunwald nearly in half with its claws. The Avatar's ferocity didn't end there - Haseo had obviously let Skeith run free, and its natural affinity toward death led to it mercilessly and _utterly_ destroying the AIDA's remnants, draining away what little was left and adding to its own strength. The Avatar soon dissipated, and Haseo's feet lightly touched the ground, the look on his face reflecting an anger that almost made Sakaki fall off of his floating platform out of _fear_.

Kuhn and Atoli were both shocked at this reaction. One second, Magus had been bound so tightly that it couldn't even move, let alone attack... the next, the AIDA was gone, and Haseo was possibly the angriest he'd _ever_ been. Atoli realized that she hadn't even finished healing Haseo before his Avatar exploded out and decimated Grunwald; his skin was unmarred, every broken bone and damaged organ in his body completely mended.

"...What the... what in the _hell_ just happened?" Kuhn asked incredulously.

"...Sakaki," Haseo addressed his foe, his voice expressing no less rage than his aura. Sakaki would've taken a step back if it wouldn't lead to him falling into the expanse of wilderness below.

Haseo didn't bother to let Sakaki respond. "...You raped her, didn't you? You attacked her last night and overpowered her, then took advantage of her. I could tell by the way she reacted when she came to last night... you can't hide things like that from me."

"Hm... I suppose that the cat is out of the bag," Sakaki said. "Yes, I did, to answer your question. What of it? She deserved it for defying me way back when."

"...you're past redemption," Haseo snarled. "The second I get the chance, _**I'll tear you to shreds... and seal you so you'll **__**never**__** come back.**_"

"Give it your best," Sakaki taunted, turning away from the infuriated Adept and leaving the arena's area.

Atoli stood up weakly, her body trembling under the weight of Haseo's emotion. "I-I... I..."

"I don't think you can calm him down easily," Kuhn said. "...His willpower comes from something different. He'll do _anything_, even give his own life _and_ the lives of all his friends... just for your sake, Atoli. He's letting his heart speak his mind... he's never going to let you get hurt. Not as long as he's able."

"...Oh..." Atoli blinked, looking between the other two Epitaph Users. Haseo was beginning to settle, though he was still staring savagely at the location that Sakaki had been. "...So... he's doing this... because he loves me?"

"I'm pretty sure that's the case," Kuhn said. "He may be overreacting a bit, but... he's doing this because he has incredibly strong feelings for you. He doesn't want to see you get hurt, and just knowing that you have been... is tearing him apart inside."

"...oh, I didn't realize..." Atoli stepped up next to her boyfriend, his lack of a reaction unfazing her. "...thank you, Haseo. But... don't push yourself too hard."

"...Atoli." Haseo turned to look at her, almost frightening her before she realized that his gaze was one of concern and not anger. "...I don't want you to get hurt. Sakaki's willing to do anything to make you break under his will... and I'm not gonna let him. I'll resist him with every ounce of strength I have. And I _won't_ let him take advantage of you anymore."

"Haseo... please don't push yourself. I don't want you to die... and leave me all alone in this world..."

He embraced her, speaking words of consolation. "...Don't worry. I'm not gonna let myself die. I'm not gonna let anyone else die either."

"...oh, Haseo..."

"...And about Hetero," Haseo said, promptly letting go of Atoli. "Are he and his teammates alright? Did I seal them by accident?"

"Doesn't look like you sealed them," Kuhn observed. "It does look like they're wearing normal clothes now, though. I guess you really did take care of that infection."

"So... they changed clothes during the battle?" Atoli suggested, purposely trying to sound innocent.

Haseo snickered. "I can't imagine they'd like it if they found out their _clothes_ changed. Poor guys."

**aba**

As Haseo walked down the path to the gate, he noticed someone following him. It was the same young man that he had just fought against in the tournament.

"Um, excuse me... Haseo, was it?"

"Yeah?" Haseo turned to face Hetero, bewildered by this development. "...What is it?"

"...Thank you for saving me and my brothers," Hetero responded. "...That's all I wanted to say. I'm sorry to bother you."

"You're not bothering me," Haseo said. "...Actually, I'm glad to see you're okay. So those two fighting alongside you were your brothers?"

Hetero nodded. "Yes, their names are Axanthic and Leucistic. We chose our names based on genetic traits in animals."

"Oh, I get it," Haseo said. "I was kinda wondering what your name meant. I thought it was really weird, no offense..."

"No, that's fine," Hetero said with a laugh. "To be honest, a lot of people have that reaction."

"Oh... well, that's understandable, I guess," Haseo responded, feeling awkward. "Um... I gotta get going now... sorry."

Hetero smiled. "Oh, no, no, you can be on your way. The reason you were able to save me was because of your girlfriend, right? If you two get married, be sure to invite me!"

As he ran off, Haseo stared. "...Wait... married... wh-what?"

**aba**

Kuhn walked home, pondering whether or not Haseo was going to be able to keep himself under control with Sakaki lurking about. As he neared his house, he was intercepted by Silabus, who seemed more than a little confused.

"...Huh? What's wrong, Silabus?"

"Mira's acting really weird," Silabus responded quickly. "I-I mean, I don't think it's a sign of anything life-threatening, but... she's been complaining about _weird_ food cravings lately."

"Weird?" Kuhn blinked. "...Uh, how weird?"

Silabus sighed. "...Well, for example, she wanted a late-night snack of sardine cookies... or something like that..."

"Huh..." Kuhn pondered this for a moment, then suddenly came up with an idea. "Oh, I think I know what's wrong with her! It was kinda silly for me to be freaking out like that all this time..."

"...What?" Silabus' confusion only worsened at this sudden exclamation.

"We gotta take her to a doctor," Kuhn said. "I want to see if it's what I think it is."

Silabus' face remained blank, even long after Kuhn had left. "...Huh?"

**aba**

The cool evening air lingering over the moonlit shore felt refreshing – it had been a long time since Haseo had had the chance to relax, and since the title match had been postponed for whatever reason, he took advantage of the situation.

Sighing, he sat on the beach, staring out over the shining ocean. The only sounds that could be heard were the crashing of the waves against the shore and the blowing of a gentle sea breeze.

He almost felt like giving in to his newfound exhaustion and just sleeping for as long as he could. He needed to keep his eyes and his ears open, though, especially in a place like this. He wasn't aware of what threats still lingered here, and he wasn't willing to find out via surprise attack.

Atoli, having scouted the area a bit, returned to his side to confirm that they were alone. She promptly sat down next to him, his presence easing her fears a bit.

"...You don't need to be so scared, Atoli. I'm not gonna let him do anything bad to you anymore."

"Oh..." Her response was forlorn and quiet, and he quickly moved closer to her. She continued to speak, though her voice could barely be heard over the roaring waves. "...Haseo, I... I'm so sorry."

"The hell are you apologizing for?" he demanded, grabbing onto her arm and dragging her into his lap. "There's nothing to worry about. I keep telling you that, but you never listen..."

"...You must feel insulted... to have a girlfriend as weak as me. I can't just... stand up and keep going forward... not with Sakaki on the loose. I... I don't know... if I can keep on going..."

"...Atoli." His tone became more forceful, his concern for her growing rapidly. "Look, I understand you probably think this is all your fault, but it _isn't_. It's AIDA's fault... Sakaki's fault. Not your fault. Is it _really _that hard to get it through your skull?"

"...I just thought I was being a burden again... sorry..."

"If it weren't for you, we would've lost the last match," he pointed out. "...Not only would I have died, but Kuhn would've as well... it was thanks to you that we're both alive, well, and _not sealed_. You keep calling yourself a burden, but you're by far the most important member of the party! You're helping us out more than I am..."

"You... you can't be serious..."

"...You saw what happened in that match, didn't you? Skeith leaving me wasn't voluntary. It was a reflexive reaction to Sakaki putting you in danger... brought on not only by my emotions, but his as well. He wants to protect you just as much as I do."

"...You're joking... aren't you...?"

He shook his head. "...No, I'm not joking. I didn't even realize he'd come out until afterward. He told me something while I was unconscious... something about having to protect the Second Phase at all costs. I don't really get exactly what he meant there, but I _do_ know that he meant _you_."

"...so even _Skeith_... wants to protect me... but why...?"

"We all recognize that you need all the emotional support you can get. I'm not sure what the other Phases think, but I know that Skeith, at least, understands your importance..."

"...Importance? Is that it...?"

"It's a different kind than _you're_ talking about. You're the most important person I've ever met, to me... I can't just leave you behind, especially not when you're suffering like this! I don't want you to hurt anymore! I don't want to... to let you... get hurt..."

His speech trailed off brokenly as he started crying, leaning against her shoulder and drying his rapidly-forming tears on her clothes. She was speechless; finally understanding his feelings, she tried to console him, but it was no use. She realized that he was just as traumatized by everything that had happened to her as she herself was.

"...H-Haseo..." she managed to say, her own voice filled with emotion. "...I... I shouldn't have... assumed... I'm sorry..."

"I... I understand... you have mixed feelings... but... but you can't... you can't just abandon us... not... not right now... I... I can't let you... I _can't live on_... knowing you're in danger... I... I'd rather... die myself... than let you... get hurt..."

She sought desperately for something to say in response, but there was nothing she _could_ say. She could feel the emotional pressure in his aura, weighing down heavily on her heart as he attempted to tell her, in his own way, that she was _needed_. Everything he was saying to her virtually _demanded_ that she stay alive... he couldn't even bear to imagine a world without her, and he was willing to go to the greatest of extremes just to keep her from getting _hurt_, let alone _killed_.

"...but... but Haseo... _why_...?"

"...Atoli, you know that better than anyone... it's because I love you. I don't want to see you in pain... I just want you to be happy... for the rest of your life. I hate seeing you cry..."

"...I didn't believe... that anyone could love me. I didn't even believe that _you_ loved me, at first... but... I can't deny it anymore. I... I'm so sorry for not trusting you."

He said nothing in response; she knew that he was repulsed by the idea that she didn't believe anyone could love her, but she also knew that he had to know how she felt. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against him, still feeling the dampness on her shoulder. He hadn't stopped crying.

"...Whenever I hear you call yourself worthless... in _any way_... I want to kill myself... I want to kill myself for not being the right man for you... I feel like I can't do _anything_ to help you... I hate myself... for not being able to help..."

"...no, Haseo... don't kill yourself... it won't get you anywhere... I know you love me... I know you want to do anything you can for me... but this is something... I have to overcome... by myself."

"...No, it's not! You can't understand... your real worth... without someone _teaching_ it to you...!"

"Haseo..."

"...Don't leave me!" His voice was filled with desperation, a tone of voice that she rarely heard out of him. "...Please... please, _don't ever leave me!_ I wouldn't... I can't... I just can't... if you die... _I may as well die myself!_"

His grip tightened on her; she couldn't begin to comprehend his _begging_ for her to stay alive. She couldn't understand how someone could be like this, saying things like this to _her_... she always thought of herself as despicable, unable to be loved, the kind of person who would always be alone no matter how hard she tried. Yet here he was, telling her that if she died, he'd die as well...

"...no, Haseo... you can't possibly feel that way-"

"_**LIKE HELL I DON'T!**_"

The sudden screaming in her ear made her flinch; she almost fell on her face, scrambling back up to look at him. He stared down at her, obvious fear in his eyes; he was _afraid_, an emotion almost never felt by the 'Terror of Death'.

"I'm not lying! Why is it that you always take _everything_ I say as some sort of stupid lie! Saying things like that... _**it hurts me, dammit!**_ Are you _trying_ to push me away? _Are you trying to get me to __**kill myself!**_ Is that what you want, Atoli!"

He turned away, every ounce of feeling in his aura suddenly vanishing. "...I get it. So you've hated me all along. That's it, isn't it? This whole relationship... was a _lie!_ Everything about it... then why did you... why did you _let me do __**that!**_"

"...What...?" She blinked, suddenly feeling weak. Why was he yelling at her this time...?

"...If you didn't love me, you should've _told me_. You shouldn't have led me on like that. I guess if you can't return my feelings, I have _no reason for living_..."

"...Haseo, stop it."

He didn't respond, starting to walk off. She sprung to her feet, knocking him down and pinning him against the sand.

"...That's not what I was saying, Haseo. I still love you. I just... I didn't realize... just how much you loved _me_."

"...Atoli." He stared up at her, that same look of outright fear plastered across his face. "...Don't you... don't you _ever_ do that again. Please..."

"...I'm sorry... I should never have said anything..."

"I... I can't stand the thought. I don't think I'd be able to live on... if you hated me. I... this bond we share... it's not the kind of bond that can be broken by normal means. The _only_ way it could be broken... is if... _is if you __**truly hated me**_..."

"...Haseo... I didn't know... you were so _sensitive_... I've never seen you act that way..."

"...you know how much it hurts me. It hurts me just as much as it hurts you... the pain that you feel, I feel... that's how strong our bond is. I knew what Sakaki had done to you... I understood _all_ of your pain... I'd rather have taken _every single bit_ of that pain on myself than force you to experience it."

"...I... I don't know. I don't know what I should say..."

"Atoli, you're not some worthless maggot, and if you _ever_ think that about yourself _again_, I swear on my _life_ that I will never forgive those who made you feel that way. I'd much rather kill the people who made you feel that way... with my own hands... than let you say that. That thought makes me want to throw up."

"...Haseo... I..."

"Now... I'm taking you back with me. Back home. I'll drag you kicking and screaming if I have to. Either way, though, don't you _dare_ call yourself useless again... I'm not sure I'd be able to hold back anymore."

She shivered, realizing the implications of that statement. He was perfectly willing to kill _anyone_ that dared threaten her life or her feelings... and being the 'Terror of Death', was fully capable as well. She felt both safety and fear in his arms... safety because she knew that he wouldn't let anyone hurt her, and fear because she knew that he was likely to carry out his death threats.

He was a ferocious man, that was for sure... but at the same time, she knew that she couldn't possibly be safer as his girlfriend.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Very intense interaction._

_The scene with Hetero after the fight was mainly because I kind of liked the Hetero Trio as characters even though they barely had any role in the story. So yeah._

_And just so you don't forget, I'm going to ask again. Should I up the rating? Okay, I'll shut up now. XD_


	27. Revelation

_Author's Notes: Okay, guys, I'm sorry about my lack of updating. I kind of mostly lost interest in .hack/G.U. (you never thought that'd happen, eh?), so I stopped writing this fic for a bit. I think I have enough stuff to put up a few more chapters, but after that, it'll probably be on hiatus until further notice._

_Mira arc is concluded. XD_

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco._

**XXVII Chapter 27: Revelation XXVII**

Silabus was more than a little surprised when he was greeted by three friends instead of just one. Kuhn, Atoli and Haseo were standing at the door, the first of the three at the head and waving a polite greeting.

"Oh, hi there everyone," Silabus said, stepping aside to allow them in. He noticed that Haseo seemed unusually cheerful.

"How's Mira?" Kuhn inquired.

Silabus fidgeted. "Well, um... it looks like your... diagnosis... was spot-on."

"Huh?" Atoli looked curious. "What's Mira's problem?"

Kuhn scratched the back of his neck. "Um, well... Silabus told me that Mira was getting weird food cravings, and, um... I thought she was pregnant, so I had him take her to the doctor, and, well... judging by Silabus' reaction, I guess she really is pregnant."

"...Oh, that's wonderful!" Atoli said. "I-I mean... um, you've been wanting this for a while, haven't you?"

"...Pregnant?" Haseo repeated in surprise. "Um..." He paused for a moment, running the information over. "...uh, congratulations, I guess."

"Yep, turns out that's what it was," Kuhn said. "...That's what it was all along, actually. I thought it was a bit fishy how she mostly got sick in the morning... and then she started feeling better after a while, and started eating more... and when Silabus said 'sardine cookies as a midnight snack', it came to me just like that."

"Sardine... cookies...?" Atoli blinked. "...Um... she can stomach that kind of thing... when she's feeling like this?"

Kuhn laughed. "Not always... just remember, if you and Haseo aren't careful, you might wind up the same way!"

Haseo turned a deep red and tried to make his presence less known. However, his obvious embarrassment only caught Silabus' attention.

"...Oh, I get it," Silabus said. "Yeah, I guess he'd better be a bit more careful with that... hormones can be a bit tough to deal with sometimes."

"You're one to talk," Kuhn pointed out. Silabus turned the same shade as Haseo and immediately tried to hide his face.

Atoli curiously asked, "May we see Mira? I've been concerned about her for a while, but I haven't gotten the chance to see her..."

"...I'm kinda worried about her too," Haseo said. "Although, I guess since the diagnosis wasn't some deadly illness, that kinda makes things better..."

"I'm sure she'd love to see you two," Kuhn said. "C'mon, let's go see her."

**aba**

Mira was obviously glad to see Haseo and Atoli, although Haseo couldn't help but notice that her face was tinged slightly green. Atoli was surprised to feel concern radiating from his aura as he walked up to the bedside and kneeled beside the young woman.

"...Mira, how are you feeling?"

"Oh, Haseo," Mira addressed him. "Thank you for coming... I'm not feeling that great right now, but... when you came in, I felt a lot better."

"Morning sickness sure is a pain," Kuhn remarked. "She hasn't actually thrown up that much, but... she seems to have a bad case. It's not fun at all."

"...Yeah," Haseo said. "Worst thing to deal with when you're fighting a battle in another city, and even worse, one that could wind up with one of us dead..."

Mira smiled. "Thanks for worrying about me, you two... and you, too, Atoli. I know you've been worried about me, Silabus has been telling me all about..."

She trailed off, and Haseo realized what was wrong. "...Oh God. I'm sorry, Mira."

"...Yeah, it's pretty bad," Kuhn said, averting his eyes. "...Well, that's the first time in a while, thankfully. Like I said, she doesn't lose her lunch very often, but... _sometimes_..."

"...I'm feeling better now, though," Mira pointed out, wiping off her mouth. "It usually alleviates the nausea for a bit... but it's a rather unpleasant way of doing so..."

"...Still not fun," Kuhn said. "I'm really sorry, Mira. I guess I picked the wrong time to..."

"Don't worry about it," Mira said. "I'm glad you decided to do this... I mean, as long as I don't have to fight a lot, then I can put up with this."

"You shouldn't have to fight at all," Kuhn stated. "The only time I'll ask you to fight is if we absolutely need you to. I don't want all our efforts to go to waste..."

Mira laughed. "Oh, you know you'd enjoy trying to conceive another child."

"Unfortunately, that's something I really can't deny," Kuhn agreed, laughing as well. "But it's better if you can pull through this first pregnancy. I mean, we can worry about making the family bigger later..."

"You're disappointed, aren't you?" Mira teased.

"H-hey!" Kuhn exclaimed. "I may like it, but remember, this was my goal all along!"

"Excuses, excuses," Mira said. "Haha... I still love you, Kuhn."

Kuhn grinned. "Yeah, I know you do." He walked over to the bedside, gently motioning for Haseo to move; the young Adept complied, returning to Atoli's side.

"I wonder..." Mira said absently.

"Huh? You wonder?"

"Yeah... I wonder if it'll be a boy or girl."

Kuhn pondered. "Hmm... well, I wouldn't really mind either way. But I hope it's a boy."

"...Yeah, why's that?" Haseo asked. "So you can teach him the ways of being the heir to the Third Phase?"

"Oh you, be quiet," Kuhn said. "I'd rather it be a boy because I can't understand females."

"I can, though," Mira pointed out. "If it's a girl, I can take care of her."

Kuhn laughed. "Well, that's true. But... I guess Haseo was kind of right... haha."

"If you teach our son to be as immature as you are, I'm divorcing you," Mira said, sounding serious enough that Kuhn backed off. She laughed it off, however. "I'm joking. You're the only guy I've really been able to understand in my entire life."

"And you're the only girl I've been able to understand," Kuhn agreed. "...In the end, though, I guess that's why we wound up together."

Mira lowered her gaze at Kuhn. "But I still don't _completely _understand you! I don't see why you have to get all flirty with other girls when you're _already married_!"

"H-hey, it's just for fun!" Kuhn said, waving his arms. "I-I swear I don't mean anything serious by it!"

"Oh, I know," Mira said. "If I didn't know you better, I would've dumped you a long time ago."

"You know, you almost did," Kuhn commented. "...I'm glad you decided to stay with me in the end, though. You know I'd never pick another girl over you."

"And that's exactly why I didn't dump you," Mira said, reminiscing.

Haseo tilted his head. "...What's up with you two anyway? You said that you were dating when you were younger, but you're talking like Kuhn used to be the same as he is now."

"...Well, he really wasn't exactly the same," Mira said. "He was a little similar, I guess... perverted, but not really the flirt he is nowadays. It's kind of hard to describe. And back then... he was a swordsman named Sieg. He wanted to surpass the famous 'Balmung of the Azure Sky'... he gave up on that dream after realizing it could never be achieved. Since then, his swordsmanship has grown rather rusty... not that he was ever good with it in the first place. He does much better with a rifle, don't you think?" She eyed her husband, smiling.

Kuhn laughed. "Well, that's probably true. I never really was too good with swords... I guess that's why I could never beat Balmung."

"...Oh, yeah, I just remembered something," Haseo said. "...Atoli, those Lost Weapons you told me about... they're relics of the Phases, right? Well, Kuhn is an Epitaph User too... I wonder if he has a Lost Weapon."

"A Lost Weapon?" Kuhn raised an eyebrow. "...Huh?"

"Lost Weapons are special weapons that were left behind by the Phases," Atoli said. "They can only be used by Epitaph Users – restricting each Phase's weapon to that Phase's user – and they take the form of whatever weapon the user is most proficient in. In my case, it's a staff based off of Innis named Dancing Haze. And in Haseo's case, it's a scythe based off of Skeith named Ticking Death."

"...So I guess that would mean mine would be a bayonet," Kuhn said. "I mean, since I'm an Epitaph User, wouldn't that mean I probably have one that I haven't found yet?"

Atoli nodded. "The Great Temple of Caerleon Medb is a Lost Ground that few have heard about and even fewer have seen... you can get there via transporter in Dol Dona."

"Ah, thanks," Kuhn said. "Well... I guess I should try going there sometime and see if Magus has a Lost Weapon corresponding to him."

**abcba**

_Author's Note: I don't really know about the length of this chapter, but including the next scene would have made it WAY too long._


	28. Tension

_Author's Notes: Some fluff and stuff like that for pre-battle. It's a bit long, but I wanted to put this all in one chapter since it doesn't fit with anything else._

_And there will be weather._

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco._

**XXVIII Chapter 28: Tension XXVIII**

"...Um..."

She had been nervous all day. The title match was the day after tomorrow, and even though they still had some time for themselves, the tension had quickly caught up to her. She was trying to figure out a way to apologize to him for the other day, but it wasn't working.

Deep in her heart, she knew he wouldn't be upset, but she still felt the need to apologize. After all, she'd pretty much ruined any chances of a romantic outing with her own self-imposed ideas.

All sorts of things were running through her head... what had happened to Endrance, and Sakubo, who had apparently followed him... whether or not Yata was alright, wherever he was... whether Pi would be able to continue with her work... but most importantly, she wanted to apologize to _him_.

"Atoli."

She looked up, her gaze silently falling on him. He stepped forward, sitting beside her and pulling her into an embrace.

"...Um, Haseo... about the other day..."

"You need to stop apologizing so much. You already said sorry that day."

"...Huh?"

"Look, I understand that you're worried... but I'm not mad at you. Your thoughts are natural... you've been scared all your life of being rejected, and when someone finally falls in love with you... you can hardly believe he's actually honest about it."

"Haseo... I still ruined our day... there's no excuse for that..."

"I don't care. Things have been stressful lately, and... I'm surprised that didn't happen sooner. I'm just glad... we were able to make up in the end..."

She blushed, remembering the events of that same night. "...Oh, thank you so much."

"I'm just doing what I want to," he said. "And... a lot of what I want to do is make you happy."

"Really? Oh... that's so nice of you."

He hugged her closer. "...Before you came along, I thought I loved Shino. But... I think now... I've realized I never really did love her. Our bond was one of friendship and nothing more... I guess I just had a crush on her. And... I got over it."

"...Why did our bond grow the way it did, I wonder? You seemed just about the last person in the world to fall in love with someone like me..." She giggled, thinking of the differences between the two and their massive personality clash.

"There's no stopping fate," he said. "The bond between us... grew so strong in such a short time. It was fate that brought us together, in the end."

She rested against him, laying her head on his shoulder. "...I've always wondered... if bonds can become romantic regardless of destiny."

"They can," he replied. "Romantic ties don't always happen naturally. Sometimes they have to be enforced by the _individual's_ feelings... and at the same time, some people won't want to act on that bond of fate. In the end, people are free to feel what _they _want to..."

"...Why did you act on it, then?"

"I liked the idea of being with you. I was still enamored with Shino, sure... but she wasn't here anymore, and I was starting to lose faith in my ability to save her. When you came along, our bond started growing, and our feelings became mutual... and I found you attractive for reasons unrelated to the bond. You must've had your own reason for letting me do that... I'm guessing it has to do with your past?"

"...I always thought... I could never be loved," she said. "No matter where I went, I was rejected, even by my own parents... the first people that really accepted me were the members of Moon Tree. When I met Sakaki... I was on the verge of killing myself, hoping that I wouldn't be forced to come back... he saved my life, and I owe him that... but in the end, that relationship turned out to be a lie, and if it weren't for you..."

"You would've lost all will to live," he finished for her. "...You hated yourself just as much as everyone else did. You kept trying to kill yourself, but you also kept wondering if maybe you'd just had bad luck that time, and maybe sometime you'd make friends if you came here... you were at your breaking point. I can't blame you for feeling the way you did, but... it wouldn't have gotten you _anywhere_ if you'd gone through with your threat."

"...I know that, Haseo. I'm... I'm just so glad... I met you."

He closed his eyes. "...In the end, we both acted of our own volition, and not on the bond. The bond helped, but... we both had our reasons for acting on it. And... that's why we've become _literally_ inseparable. The strongest bonds are those that are willing... and in our case, it _was_ willing. Mira could've chosen not to act on her bond with Kuhn, for example... they would never have gotten married, and Kuhn would still be lonely. But she acted on it for reasons more than the strength of her bond with him... that much, I can tell."

"And it's the same... with you and me," she said. "I was always curious as to whether you had a good reason for loving me... but with you, I don't think you need a reason. You're free-spirited and impossible to tie down..."

He seemed amused by this remark. "Well, that's true. I can't deny it."

"Yes, and I think that's one of the things I found attractive about you," she said. "I mean... you were a jerk and all back then, but... I could tell that you were kind deep inside, and that if someone just showed you that you were wanted, then that kindness would've come out. Nobody could ever keep you in check... I'm the first person who's been able to tie you down, and you respected that. I was just glad that there was someone who'd listen to me."

"Uh-huh," he murmured. "...Y'know, whenever I'm around you, I just kinda get to thinking... maybe what everyone else says is right. Maybe you _are_ the right person for me, and maybe you're the only person who can keep me in one place... I mean, it's kinda silly to be thinking about stuff like that at my age, but..."

She blushed profusely. "...Oh... so you... want to... get married...?"

"...I haven't decided for sure," he said. "But... I'll let you know when I make up my mind. I'm not gonna hide anything from you anymore... if I did, I wouldn't be the kind of person you needed. But... at the same time, I expect the same from you. I don't want _you_ to hide anything either... got it?"

"...Haseo..." Her voice was quiet, but her happiness was also evident. "...Yes, I promise I won't hide anything. We're... lovers, right?"

"...Yeah... lovers." He confirmed that statement with a brief nod, smiling and pulling her into his lap.

"...I love you, Haseo."

"I love you too, Atoli..."

"Did I ever tell you my real name? The name I was born with? The name... of my spirit?"

"...I already knew. And you know mine, too."

She giggled. "Yes, of course... I guess that means when it's just you and me... I can call you Ryou."

"...As long as you let me call you Chigusa."

"Oh... I'd love that!" she agreed. "Hearing someone say my real name with such heartfelt honesty... you'll never be able to get rid of me even if you wanted to!"

"And I don't think I ever will," he said. "You've made me really happy."

"And you've made me happy, too! Oh, I think I'm just about the happiest girl in the world right now... thank you so much!"

He grinned. "...And I guess that makes me just about the happiest boy in the world, too."

"Oh... really? I'm-I'm so glad I can make you feel that way!"

"I'm glad I can make you feel so happy, too. It makes me feel like I've accomplished my goal."

"...Oh, you're so sweet! I hope you make up your mind about marrying me soon!"

"I'm sure I will," he said. "...And to be honest, I'm kinda leaning toward marrying you."

"...Really? Oh... that makes me..."

She fell speechless, shifting herself into a position where she could hug him. Her affectionate response to his words told him everything he needed to know... she _loved_ hearing that. Embracing her tightly, he realized that this was the first time in his entire life he'd felt this... _joyful_.

He pondered if his decision was already made. There was _no way_ he was going to let her down.

**aba**

The young swordsman sighed, looking out over the cliff face that bordered the wasteland he was in. It was a beautiful night, even in this kind of place... the land was desolate, bare of features except for a few sparse tufts of grass and steep walls that seemed to reach up to the sky.

A scarlet-haired girl trotted over to him and plopped herself down next to him. "So what do you think, Sil?"

"What do I think? Of what?"

"You know. The sky. Isn't it romantic? Moonlight is really pretty, even in a place like this."

"...I never thought you to be such a romantic, Alkaid," he commented, laughing. "It doesn't seem much like you."

"Well, you know what I like to do when I'm not fighting," she said. "Most people don't even know what I'm really like. You're one of the few who's caught a rare glimpse of my personality!"

He smiled, leaning his head on her shoulder. "Yeah, I know. But it still feels a little weird."

"Oh, I know," she said, putting an arm around his waist. "I'm usually so rough and tough... people don't usually think of me as being such a softie on the inside."

"I guess that's part of your appeal, though," he said. "Knowing you're that kind of person at heart is actually... kind of cute."

"You're not all you seem to be on the outside either, Sil," she remarked. "You're really outgoing most of the time, but when it comes down to it, you can be pretty shy!"

He blushed profusely. "Um... well, I... uh..."

"...I know, I'm just kidding," she said. "You're only shy around me because you think I'm cute! Right?"

"Uh... y-yeah..." he stuttered, embarrassed. He _did_ find her attractive, but that wasn't the only reason he was so shy around her.

"Oh, but Sil, I don't care who you are or how you act. You're still my boyfriend, so in the end, little things like that don't matter at all."

"Ahaha... I love you too, Alkaid," he said, laughing sheepishly.

"...Thanks for taking me here, by the way," she said. "I need to keep my skills sharp, sure, but I think spending time with you was even more fun."

"Oh, I was gonna thank _you_," he said, smiling. "I'm just glad I got to spend some time with you. After that incident with Taihaku, I didn't think I was gonna be able to..."

She hugged him. "Don't worry, Sil. I'll try to keep you safe as much as I can."

"...By the way, I noticed you were using those Honeysuckles I gave you... do you think it was a... good enough present?"

"Oh, of course it was... every time I fight with them, I think of you. That was a really nice present... I'm glad you decided to give it to me."

"Thanks... I just don't wanna be inadequate. I knew you were a dual-wielder, and when I saw those swords, I just knew I had to give them to you. I thought you'd reject me, though... it was kinda silly of me to just come out and say it like that."

"No, no, it's great that you had the guts to go through with it. Most guys like you just keep it all bottled up inside."

"I probably would've too... if I hadn't found those Honeysuckles when I did..."

"It's okay, Sil. I understand it can be hard to say things like that sometimes. I probably would've done it for you if you hadn't made the first move... I got the feeling you had eyes on me from the start."

He nodded. "Yeah... actually, I did... haha..."

"Hey, I understand. You're just a healthy young male... it's understandable you'd be attracted to me."

"Oh..." He blushed. "...That's... not the only reason, Alkaid..."

"Oh, I know, I'm just teasing you!" She looked up at the sky and turned a little red herself. "...Wow, I didn't realize it was that late. Should we head back?"

"Sure," he agreed. "I'm really tired, to be honest... today was quite a workout."

She smiled. "Alright then, let's head back home. Icolo still isn't very safe, so we might have to stay over somewhere else..."

"I don't mind that," he said. "Anything to keep us out of harm's way."

As they began to walk back, the sand giving slightly beneath their feet, he pondered the recent events, and whether or not they were in for a much larger fight. Haseo was doing all he could, but things weren't looking good for them...

**aba**

"...Hey there, Mai."

Though he had been away from home for a while, she now noticed his slender figure standing in the doorway. She smiled, inviting him to sit by her, an offer that he immediately took.

"How're you feeling?" he inquired. "I'm just glad that the match was postponed so I could spend some time with you. I'm... really sorry about all this."

"Don't be, Tomo," she said. "I understand that you have your own work to do... I'm feeling alright, still a little queasy from time to time, but... that's what I was expecting."

He nodded. "Don't push yourself, alright? You need to rest."

"I can't do nothing but rest," she pointed out. "I've been doing some housework. Have you noticed?"

"Yeah, sure looks unusually spotless," he observed. "You're not usually one for housework, are you? Heck, sometimes I have to do some cleaning myself just so this place doesn't turn into a complete wreck!"

"Hey now," she warned. He laughed in response.

"...Y'know, Mai, you always were so uptight. Sometimes I kinda wonder just how I got in with you."

She sighed and shook her head. "I've often wondered that about you myself."

"Well, I don't think things are gonna change anytime soon," he said. "Especially not with _this_... it was a bad time to put you through all this."

"Don't be so concerned. Silabus and Alkaid are staying over here now."

He blinked. "...Huh? Those two? Aren't they supposed to be in Icolo?"

"Silabus told me that Icolo was getting dangerous," she said. "It's not safe to be there with Taihaku on the loose, and he already nearly died once..."

"Oh, I get it now," he said. "Well... I guess if they can help you out... they can't do much more than that, but it's better than nothing. Still... keep an eye out for Silabus. I'm kinda worried about him... he isn't acting his normal self. It's... hard to describe..."

"You two are like brothers, right? You know I'd never let either of you down."

"Yeah..." He looked up at the ceiling, breathing a sigh. "...Um, thanks."

"For what?"

"For everything. Not just this, but... you're helping to take care of Silabus too. That..."

"...I know, Tomo. I'm doing all I can to help you out... even now."

"Thanks..."

The moon was shining brightly through the window; it was a fairly clear night, but the multicolored ring around the moon indicated that it wouldn't be like that for long. It would rain soon... and judging from the thin clouds, it wouldn't be just _any_ rain.

He wondered just what was going on in this world.

**abcba**

_Author's Note: Yes, weather. I'm into meteorology, so it was KIND OF inevitable._


	29. Inclement

_Author's Notes: Another long chapter, and not terribly interesting either... many apologies._

_Remember what I said about weather?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namco. OR anything remotely related, for that matter._

**XXIX Chapter 29: Inclement XXIX**

A low rumbling startled Haseo out of his sleep; he looked around for a moment before realizing that it had come from outside. The sky was unusually dark for this time of morning, and it was raining hard.

"...Oh great, a storm. Just what I need."

The thunder had evidently awoken Atoli as well. She sat up in bed, looking out the window with a look of displeasure. Haseo sighed and got out of bed, walking over to the window and looking outside.

"I'm no meteorologist," the silver-haired boy commented. "...But I don't think that's very good."

Atoli was confused. "...Huh? What are you talking about?"

"It's almost pitch-black out there," Haseo said. "It's not usually like that when it storms. This must be a bad one."

"Oh..." Atoli nodded, standing up. "...Um, you're worried about this weather, aren't you? Should we... head downstairs?"

Haseo blinked. "...What for?"

"Well... y'know... in case... it gets _worse_..."

"...Huh, now that you think about it..." Haseo turned, walking toward the door. He glanced back, making sure that Atoli followed as well.

As they reached the bottom of the steps, Atoli noticed someone familiar sitting on the sofa. "...Huh?"

"What is it?" Haseo asked, before seeing the same thing. "...the hell is _he_ doing here?"

A blond-haired young man had taken up residence in the house, seemingly displeased with the state of the interior. Haseo stepped up to the man, his aura giving off a tone of warning.

"Oh, would you look at _that!_" the man said in response; his tone of voice was a dead giveaway. "Don't worry, I'm just taking shelter from the rain. I was walking along, and the skies opened up, just like that..."

"...Hiiragi," Haseo addressed him sharply. "Under any other circumstances, I'd push you out the doorway. But since you're obviously in _so_ much trouble from the weather outside that you couldn't find another place no matter how hard you tried..."

Hiiragi waved his hand. "Hey there, settle down, would ya? Ever since Moon Tree was disbanded, I haven't had many places to go, and I forgot where my old home was..."

"Oh yeah, that's right..." Haseo nodded. "Now that I think about it, what happened to the other captains anyhow? I know where Sakaki is, but..."

"I asked Zelkova to help with Canard," Atoli said. "He's been giving me updates every so often, so I'm sure that he's doing everything he can to help. Matsu left Lumina Cloth after the match, and I haven't seen him since... I guess he found his own place to live. But... I'm not sure about the others."

"Well, I guess I can tell you a few things," Hiiragi said. "I haven't seen Nala, but Sophora's been hanging out in Breg Epona lately. She's trying to remain inconspicuous as always... kind of a difficult feat in such a large city. And Kaede is taking care of Lord Zelkova, like she usually does. I suppose, considering the information Atoli's given, that she's helping with Canard as well..."

"Yes, thank you for the update," Atoli said. "...Um, I'm sorry about Haseo. He's been on edge lately because of everything that's been going on..."

"Don't worry about him," Hiiragi responded. "He's always been sharp-tongued, and I've come to expect no less from the 'Terror of Death'. He's in the tournament, right? Well, in that case, I can't blame him for being on edge... the air about the city is putrid, and its aura virtually reeks of AIDA..."

"...I'm worried about him," Atoli stated. "He doesn't usually show it, but... he's really upset about this. I... just hope he doesn't... do something rash..."

Haseo grimaced. "You do realize I'm standing here, right?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Atoli said quickly.

"...Don't worry about it," Haseo muttered, his gaze once again falling on Hiiragi. "I guess since he doesn't have anywhere else to go, we can let him stay here for a bit..."

"He's not going to hurt anyone," Atoli pointed out. "He's just taking shelter here. I can't blame him, considering the weather..."

For once, Hiiragi didn't seem too concerned with what the two were saying; he appreciated the hospitality, and didn't much mind the fact that his gender was being stated properly. Instead, he looked out the window, keeping an eye on the rolling clouds; they were starting to thin, and the sky was becoming brighter.

"...You can stay here," Haseo said suddenly. "Until you get your own place, you're probably gonna be wandering all over the city... so just this once, I'll let you stay over. And... if you want, you can talk things over with Atoli. She's been kind of out of the loop lately in regards to Moon Tree."

Hiiragi nodded brightly. "Why yes, thank you, Haseo! And I'm not so sure she'd be willing to spend time around me... I mean, she's _clearly_ much more entertained by you."

"Oh..." Atoli blushed. "...I haven't talked with a guildmate in a while, so actually, I wouldn't mind... Haseo _is_ prone to getting jealous, though..."

Haseo glared. "What do you mean by _that_?"

"Oh, nothing," Atoli said, giggling. "...How long can he stay?"

"As long as he needs to," Haseo said. "Once he finds a place of his own, though, I don't want him staying here any longer."

"That should be good enough," Atoli said. "You know, Haseo, you really are a lot nicer than you used to be... before, you never would've let Hiiragi come within a mile of your house."

Haseo scowled in response; Hiiragi seemed amused by the bantering between the two. "Well, I guess you two are getting along well lately. I'm not expecting an invitation, but if you would be so kind..."

"...The hell?" Haseo snarled. "What do you mean by that?"

"I think he's referring to the possibility of us getting married," Atoli said. "...And don't worry, Hiiragi. Even if Haseo doesn't invite you, I will."

"...You're saying this like it's set in stone," Haseo grumbled. "Ah well, guess I'm gonna have to put up with it..."

**aba**

The rain hadn't eased; it was still storming, and had been doing so all day. Haseo was getting bored with sitting in his house, and was trying to think of something that he could do instead.

A trip to Breg Epona seemed promising; the sky city was almost always fair weather-wise, and besides, he wanted to see how Canard was coming along in his absence. He wondered how lousy of a guildmaster he'd be considered for paying so little attention to his guild.

Finally deciding on his course of action, he began walking down the road to Mac Anu's dome. He no longer cared about getting wet.

The streets were quiet, as could be expected. There were only a few people out and about, and most of them tried to take shelter whenever the rain got particularly heavy. However, there was one person of note; Haseo was surprised when, upon reaching the dome, he saw a forlorn-looking boy standing just outside the gate.

"...Bo? What are you doing here?"

Bo sighed heavily, lifting his head only a little. "Well... I really shouldn't be doing this. I was going to come and visit you, but it's been raining all day..."

"What's the matter?" Haseo inquired cautiously.

"Saku said she was gonna go with Endrance," Bo said. "I couldn't stop her... they're both on Sakaki's side now."

"...So that's why," Haseo muttered. "I was wondering where you went, and why Endrance was acting so weird when I saw him... thanks for telling me, Bo."

"You just need to beat Sakaki," Bo said. "If you do that, Endrance will probably come back to you. But I've always been on your side, since the start... I wanna help you, but Saku would get mad..."

Haseo nodded. "...Don't worry about it. I'll take care of this... I promise."

"Thank you so much, Haseo!"

The Adept stepped up to the gate, glancing back. "There's no need to thank me. Knowing that Endrance has betrayed G.U... that'll help us all. It's good that you were able to tell me this."

Bo responded with silence. He knew that Saku would be upset with him, but he didn't care... just knowing that he'd done something to help Haseo was more than enough.

**aba**

Surprisingly, even the weather in Breg Epona was inclement; the wind was unusually strong, and there were traces of snow on the city's streets. Still, it was better than the rain...

Before Haseo could reach his intended destination, he was suddenly tackled down to the ground by someone. He blinked twice before realizing that it was Alkaid.

"Hey there," Alkaid greeted, allowing Haseo to stand up. "Is there any reason you decided to come here?"

"I was gonna ask you that," Haseo replied. "I needed to check up on things. I wanted to get my mind off of things... the weather's pretty bad in Mac Anu."

"Yeah, so I heard," Alkaid said. "So, you wanna come train with me?"

Haseo nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'll have to get ready first, though."

"...Thanks," Alkaid said, watching Haseo walk off. "Well, looks like I'd better get ready myself... huh?"

"Alkaid!" A familiar blonde-haired girl was suddenly standing behind her. "Can I go with you too?"

Alkaid laughed, turning around. "Hey, Atoli. You can come along, too... I'm sure you need to stretch a bit before the last round of the tournament."

"It would be nice," Atoli said. "It's been a while since I've just been out training. I'm a bit nervous about the title match, too..."

"...Nervous? Any reason why?"

Atoli sighed. "I... have a really bad feeling about it. I'm not sure... I just think something bad is going to happen. I think I just need to get my mind off of things..."

"I can understand your concern," Alkaid stated. "...Sakaki's no ordinary opponent, let me tell you that. And it's possible you won't be able to settle things in the tournament... if he gets loose, this world's done for."

"...It was so stupid of me to let him go. I can't believe I..."

"Don't say that now. It's not your fault he totally lost it. And besides, sealing people, no matter who they are... look at it this way, Atoli. If you'd kept him sealed, you'd be the same as Tri-Edge."

"...That's not a good comparison," Atoli said. "He was the villain, not me. And it was my fault that he..."

Alkaid shook her head. "No, it's not your fault! You didn't realize he'd do this! Stop blaming yourself, will ya? It's not getting you anywhere, and dragging yourself down is hurting Haseo too!"

"Oh..." Atoli lowered her head, remembering their fight. "...You're right. I'm sorry..."

"Hey, it's fine. I think that in the title match, you might have a chance to fight Sakaki. And if you do, you'd better beat him... he's been screwing things up beyond belief lately. I'm sick of him running around doing whatever the hell he wants."

"...I was hoping I'd be able to beat him," Atoli said. "But... I don't think I have enough skill with my Avatar yet... that's not to say I won't help Haseo, though."

"You still think you have something to atone for, don't you?" Alkaid sighed. "Listen to this. Even if we _were_ blaming you for Sakaki, you've done more than enough to make up for it by now. If it weren't for you, Silabus..."

"...You're right," Atoli muttered. "I guess... I was only thinking of myself again."

"Don't be so down," Alkaid said. "Stick your chin up. I'm sure that you can handle things fine. And just remember... you're not alone."

"Thank you so much, Alkaid."

"Hey, don't thank me. I'm just saying what I think. Besides, isn't Haseo the one who saved your life?"

"That doesn't make you any less important, though. You're a friend too."

Alkaid laughed. "Looks like you haven't changed a bit. Anyway, we'd better get prepared... Haseo's probably gonna be ready before us if we don't hurry."

"Oh, yes, that's right!" Atoli suddenly exclaimed. "I forgot... I was going to give you something."

"Huh? Me?" Alkaid blinked in surprise. "Why me?"

"We're friends," Atoli replied. "I know you're probably thinking you didn't earn anything... but that's not how I feel. Haseo told me that I should give something to you, because he wanted us to get along better... and I agreed with him. I like having you around, Alkaid."

"...Oh, um, thanks," Alkaid said, a little embarrassed.

Atoli smiled, taking the object out. "It's a good-luck charm of sorts. It'll keep your spirit energized so that you can keep fighting. I thought it'd be good for you, since you love fighting in the arena."

"Are you sure I can have this?" Alkaid questioned. "I mean, it looks really expensive."

"Of course you can have it," Atoli insisted. "I got it for you."

Alkaid nodded slightly. "Oh... um, thanks. But, uh... don't just go around buying presents for other people, will ya? Haseo might get jealous!"

"He was the one who suggested it!" Atoli retorted. Alkaid laughed in response.

"Hey, I was just kidding. Now, let's get going!"

**abcba**

_Author's Note: SEE, THEY'RE FRIENDS. I MADE SURE OF THIS._


	30. Preparation

_Author's Notes: I'm running out of chapter name ideas._

_Disclaimer: I don't own .hack/ or Bandai Namcooooooooooo. D;_

**XXX Chapter 30: Preparation XXX**

Their destination was an ancient fortress built deep within a forest; the dense canopy blotted out the sky between walled-in clearings, and the trees and walls were marked with symbols that seemed to radiate an eerie power. Within the ruins, there were malevolent creatures of all shapes and sizes; it was a perfect training ground.

Haseo stepped forward, looking around the area. "...Looks like this place is pretty big. It might take a while to go all the way through it, but hey, we have all day."

"Don't get too worked up," Alkaid warned. "You're here to calm down, right? You shouldn't get nervous."

"This place is so calming," Atoli observed. "It's so peaceful and natural... I wish we could stay here for more than a day."

"Forget about tomorrow," Haseo stated. "Let's go."

As they progressed through the forest, an odd feeling of unease settled upon Haseo. He began to ponder what it might be, but before he could get very far, he suddenly realized that there were several assailants surrounding the three; none of them looked alive, all animated through some kind of demonic magic.

Motioning to his allies, he drew his scythe and swung it at the enemies. Atoli aimed an attack at one of them, a spear of light piercing through it and incinerating the others behind it.

"I'm not used to fighting undead," Alkaid muttered. "They're really nasty... if you're not careful, they'll paralyze you. I try to avoid them as much as possible..."

She drew her blades and attacked, each swing unleashing a blast of wind that knocked her targets back. One of the creatures sprung her from behind, but she whirled around and delivered an intense blow, knocking it into the wall.

Haseo decided that the scythe was inefficient; stowing it, he drew his broadsword instead. He knocked back one of the foes, then raised the sword and brought it down on the ground, creating a shockwave that served to knock down a good number of them and completely destroy a few others.

He hadn't noticed that the attack had left him open; he was knocked down, a swarm of the foul beings descending upon him. Alkaid decided she'd had enough; she allowed spirit energy to flow through her body, a feeling that caused her nerves to tingle. Leaping into the air, she charged forward and unleashed a barrage of slashes, each one creating a blast of wind; the attack was strong enough that it cleared away the remainder of their opponents, but at the same time, it had apparently struck Haseo as well.

"...don't do that," the Adept groaned, struggling to his feet.

"Hey, don't look at me like that," Alkaid said. "I didn't realize it'd have that effect. I guess I need to practice more... I just learned how to do that attack."

"Next time, I'll have to shield myself," Haseo said. "Looks like you're reckless as ever, Alkaid."

Alkaid sighed. "You're not gonna forgive me for this, are you..."

"I'm forgiving you," Haseo stated. "I'm just telling you not to do it again."

"...sheesh..." Shaking her head, Alkaid stepped forward. "Let's just get going already."

"Looks like this is going to be a long trip..." Atoli mumbled. "...It's so hard keeping up with both of them... they're both so... rambunctious..."

**aba**

Haseo wasn't used to strenuous training; the session took a lot out of him, and he was barely able to return home before collapsing. The storm had wreaked havoc in one part of Mac Anu, but it was some distance away from where he lived, and his own house was untouched.

Atoli and Alkaid followed him home, though Atoli started growing a distinct feeling of unease when she saw the destroyed part of the district.

After the three had gotten inside, Atoli promptly laid Haseo out on the sofa and then looked out the window. Alkaid flopped on a chair, baffled as to how Atoli was seemingly unfazed.

"...how do you manage to keep your energy?" the scarlet-haired girl inquired.

"Remember the talisman I gave you earlier?" Atoli said. "Well... I have a few of those in my possession. Actually, it's mostly just shards of the crystal... they're very useful for keeping yourself energized. Which reminds me... were you using the talisman in that last battle?"

Alkaid blinked. "...Uhh, I didn't really know how to..."

"You just wear it like a necklace," Atoli said, giggling. "I always wear one or two during a battle."

"Maybe you should give one to Haseo too," Alkaid suggested. "He looks pretty worn out."

"He's not really that good at magic," Atoli pointed out. "I wasn't able to look out for him the whole time, and he probably had to heal himself..."

"...I should try that next time," Alkaid said. "So, uh... about tomorrow..."

"The title match," Atoli stated. "I'm... not looking forward to it. I'm a bit scared..."

Alkaid shook her head. "C'mon, you gotta have a bit more courage. You can't just be sitting around letting Haseo protect you all the time."

"...I know," Atoli said. "But... it's hard..."

"It's true that we don't know what kind of tricks Sakaki's got up his sleeve," Alkaid said. "But at the same time, you can't be such a pessimist. I'm sure it'll work out okay."

"It's not that I don't trust my teammates," Atoli mused, her voice quiet. "...Kuhn is an experienced Epitaph User, and Haseo... there's no reason for me not to place my faith in him. I think... more than anything, I'm afraid of losing them..."

"...It'll be alright, okay? Just believe in yourself and your teammates. Place your faith in them."

"I... um, thanks."

Alkaid closed her eyes. "...To be honest, I've got a bad feeling about all this too. Sakaki has more power than all of you combined... he's not gonna be an easy opponent. And Taihaku..." Her tone lowered. "...I wish I could go in there and beat him myself, but I know I wouldn't last two seconds against him... someone of his caliber, and infected with AIDA too..."

"I hope that we don't have to face Sakaki tomorrow," Atoli said. "I mean... just Taihaku is hard enough, but..."

"You have to be prepared for the possibility," Alkaid stated. "And if he does attack, you have to keep your guard up. If you guys can beat Sakaki, that'll pretty much fix everything..."

"...Only if," Atoli muttered. "I don't think he's likely to give us an easy time."

Breathing a sigh, the ex-Emperor lowered her head. "Sakaki's gotten us trapped in a corner now. He's had the upper hand all this time, and he's bringing all of us to ruin... I don't think that we can keep going much longer if he keeps doing things like this."

"Mm... I agree," Atoli nodded. "It's so hard to be optimistic when all the odds are against you..."

"...Atoli, I'm telling you. If you or Haseo get yourself killed in this next battle, I'll never forgive you. So you'd better stay alive, you hear me?"

"I'll try my hardest. I can't guarantee anything, but if there's a way... I'll make sure we all live through this."

"Not the answer I was hoping for, but I guess it'll do."

"Oh... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."

Alkaid laughed. "Oh come on now, I'm kidding. Just do what you can, alright? Believe me, if you guys can't pull through, I'd go to the ends of the earth to avenge you. I wanna set this place straight just as much as you do."

"Thank you, Alkaid." Atoli smiled, her aura settling. "I'll never forget the time I spent as your friend."

"...Oh, yeah, I was gonna ask you another thing." Alkaid looked out the window. "...What the hell happened here? Part of the district was ruined."

"I... think that a tornado came through," Atoli said. "It was storming really badly this morning, and I don't think the rain eased up... oh, I hope Kuhn is okay! He lives here too..."

Alkaid raised an eyebrow. "In this district?"

"Um, I think so," Atoli replied. "But his house was a bit of a distance... I should see if he's alright. If I can remember how to get there..."

She became aware of a cold, wet nose pressed against her leg. Reaching down and patting the dog on the head, she tried to reassure him.

"...Oh, Ren," Alkaid said. "He doesn't look like he's feeling very well. Was probably scared from the storm."

"He's still recovering from the other day, too," Atoli said. "I knew I shouldn't have left him for so long..."

"The birds seem to be alright," Alkaid noted, glancing back. "Hey, doesn't it get tough taking care of so many pets?"

"I certainly don't mind," Atoli responded. "Haseo says I should let the birds fly free every so often, but I don't want to mess up his house..."

"...you're still worried about that?" The sudden voice of a third party startled both girls. Haseo raised his head slightly, though his exhaustion was still evident.

"Why yes, of course I'm worried about it," Atoli said. "I don't want to make a mess of your house. It's still your house, not mine..."

Haseo groaned. "...There you go again. Look, if I had a problem with it, I'd have told you. If you're really that concerned, I'll help you clean up."

"Oh..." Atoli lowered her head. "...Is there any reason you're acting like this, Haseo? It's kind of unusual for you to be concerned about little things like this..."

"They've grown on me," Haseo replied simply.

Alkaid snickered. "Must be a side effect of spending so much time around Atoli!"

"...Shut it, you," Haseo grumbled.

"You shouldn't be so ashamed," Alkaid pointed out. "I mean, your bond is so strong, most people could probably feel it from three miles away."

"I get it already," the disgruntled Adept muttered, dragging himself into a sitting position. "Just stop teasing me about it, will ya? It's bad enough having Kuhn on my case."

"Oh, fine." Alkaid pouted. "You're no fun."

"...I think it's more of a case of wanting to keep my dignity. The 'Terror of Death' wouldn't be caught dead hanging out with a girl like her, let alone in a relationship with her."

"You're worried about your reputation? That's really not like you."

"...Alkaid, it's more of a matter of the fact that I'd get teased relentlessly by my former victims if they found out."

Alkaid raised an eyebrow. "And what the hell does _that_ have to do with anything?"

"Dignity!" Haseo snapped, looking away. "Look, this isn't the kind of thing I'd normally tell anyone. The fact that Kuhn is broadcasting it is annoying enough..."

"It's not something you can keep secret either," Alkaid noted.

"...it looks like there's really no way out of this..." Haseo sighed. "Oh well, guess I'll have to put up with it..."

Atoli giggled, sitting next to Haseo. "There's no reason to feel ashamed. Alkaid really has a point... there's no way to hide it now."

"I'd at least like it if she didn't tell anyone," Haseo said. "Even if it can't be kept secret, I don't want everyone talking about it..."

"You're really fun to tease," Atoli observed. "It's cute how you always get so flustered..."

Haseo growled slightly, glaring at the floor. "...Dammit."

**aba**

_Author's Note: Hey guys, remember what I said about chapter 30?_


End file.
